


The Polyship Beginning

by Monica89555



Category: Furry (Fandom), The Henry Stickmin Collection
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 42,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29234097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monica89555/pseuds/Monica89555
Summary: Remus and Reggie have found themselves mysteriously in the land of Royalty. What kind of events will play out during their stay?
Relationships: Copperright - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	The Polyship Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Reggie = Crashed Copperright Reginald  
> Remus = Crashed Copperright Right Hand Man  
> RHF = Royals Right Hand Man  
> KR = Royals Reginald

The kingdom wasn’t bustling with activity as it typically was; people scurried here and there to get jobs done. Otherwise, it was relatively quiet despite it just being midday. Guards patrolled the castle with their spears and other weapons at hand. The occasional window allowed light to trickle into the obsidian-black castle and spill upon the floor made of quartz. Where Reggie and Remus spawned, a flash of light materialized them in the center of a hall aligned with doors that led to other rooms. The warm light licked at Remus and Reggie’s bodies until they were fully physical and not a mere light silhouette, only for the light to dissipate once the teleportation had been a success. It was relatively bright from nearby windows and torches that aligned the top of the large walls of the castle. Nobody was in sight- the guards had just patrolled the area so they didn’t catch onto the two.  
Reggie flew into a sitting position as soon as his brain processed that he wasn't lying on the hospital-esque bed of Dr. V's tent anymore, gawking at his unfamiliar surroundings- far from being the plain, faded green and grey of the military tent and the concrete beneath it. A groan from Remus quickly caught his attention, however, him practically giving himself whiplash with how quickly his head turned towards the sound. The cyborg was sprawled out on his back, rubbing the left side of his head with a pained grimace on his face. "Righty-! Shit, this isn't good- of all the times for something to happen..." Reggie's voice came out hardly more than a loud, terrified whimper as he moved to his boyfriend's side, inspecting him for any injuries.  
The sound of Reggie’s voice easily carried throughout the castle’s corridor. It didn’t take too long for Reggie’s voice to be heard by RHF around the corner and down that hall. There was hardly any footsteps that were audible besides from KR as RHF sprinted forward, clearly on edge. The fox hybrid skidded around a corner with his fluffy fox ears flattened uneasily. His single blue eyes glowed like a fiery blaze of ice as he stared at the two people on the ground and he already threw his hand in front of KR when the mute king had hurried to his side. RHF stared with the gaze of a predator towards Remus and Reggie, his fur bristling along the left side of his face. His right hand was not a hand but a furry paw that was prepared to maul anyone if need-be. His long, fox tail swished behind him as he steadied his stance, eyeing the two skeptically. His hood was pulled back since they were in the castle and didn’t need to hide his features. The black cloak he wore also didn’t hide his fox tail for that same reason. KR blinked rapidly and lifted a hand to his mahogany-colored eyes to rub them, unsure if he was seeing things or not. His cape swished behind him from how abruptly they had ran- the man wore a lot of purple, such as his cape with pink spirals and gold trimmings. “What the fuck?” RHF abruptly muttered, twitching his nose in the slightest. He tucked his necklace underneath his shirt for protection.  
Reggie moved to be between Remus and the too-familar-yet-unfamiliar faces, reaching for where he'd normally have his gun- and once again cursing himself for not grabbing it that fateful day those alarms started blaring. Remus managed to push himself into a sitting position, quinting over Reggie's shoulder at the two men who were standing further down the corridor. "...What the actual fuck...?" Remus' voice was quiet and filled to the brim with confusion as Reggie scooted backwards, both of them staring at RHF and KR as if the duo were sprouting second heads.  
KR stared at Remus and Reggie with a dumbfounded look on his face. He had a nervous expression towards Reggie in particular when it seemed he was reaching for a weapon. “State your names this instant!” RHF immediately growled. The familiarity between Reggie and Remus was somewhat uncanny but he pushed that feeling aside. He dared to step forward, followed by the nervous KR. KR peeked out front behind RHF to peer at Remus cautiously- RHF was watching Reggie specifically. Deciding to be daring, KR stepped out from behind RHF and waved towards the other duo, respectively keeping a distance so he didn’t alarm them. He eyed Reggie on occasion.  
"Reginald Copperbottom and Right Hand Ma-a-an." A glitch cut through Remus' tense voice as slowly got to his feet, his right hand ready to have to charge up a blast at any moment. Reggie scrambled to his feet after his lover, clinging onto his back and staring fearfully at RHF and KR- mostly at their faces, confusion filling him as he realized why, exactly, they looked so familiar. Remus was noticeably slightly unsteady on his feet, and Reggie's cheeks still held tear stains, but they both seemed more than ready to fight if they needed to.  
“Lies.” RHF growled bitterly, his blue eye blazing. He stepped forward, his feet as silent as a fox’s paws despite the boots he wore. “It’s impossible you two can share those names as we.” KR had a small smile planted on his face as he lifted his hands into the air to show he meant no harm. He quickly made the sign for ‘peace’ and took a few steps forward but nothing more than that. He observed Remus and Reggie, swallowing a bit roughly out of nervousness. “Reg, what are you doing?” RHF whispered quietly, watching how KR was now a few paces in front of him. ‘ _P-E-A-C-E._ ’ KR signed back towards RHF, spelling out for emphasis. RHF seemed skeptical but hesitated. This felt too familiar.  
Remus narrowed his right eye at RHF, only to close it when a thought passed his mind. "I swea-a-ar to fuck, if this has something to do with those goddamn askers and anons- those are our names, so to-o-ough shit." He clenched his fists momentarily at the thought, opening his eye once more to glare threateningly at KR and RHF. "...I wish I knew more sign language." Reggie muttered shakily under his breath, watching KR nervously- only understanding the spelt-out word.  
RHF twitched his ears towards Remus’ glitched words and hesitated again. He stared for a brief moment and glanced towards KR. “They seem to know the askers.” He mumbled lowly, keeping his voice hushed. He didn’t like how Remus said they were named Reginald Copperbottom and Right Hand Man at all, though. “What should we do?” KR thought for a moment before lowering his hand to his coat’s pocket, pulling out a small pocket-sized notebook that was rainbow in color for the cover. He detached the pencil from the notebook and began to write quickly, using his palm as a rest for it. Once he finished, he sat the notebook carefully on the ground and pressed his boot’s toes against it. He slid it over quite effortlessly so it landed in front of Reggie, the message saying “ _May I come closer?_ ” KR waited patiently for a response.  
Remus refused to spend enough time with his eyes off of the other two to read the words, but Reggie slowly bent down and shifted to be able to grab and read the notepad. "He's asking if he can come closer. I think something's happened. The anons mentioned alternate universes- they might have... sent us to one, somehow." Reggie whispered into Remus' left ear, eyeing KR nervously. Remus visibly hesitated before sighing and letting himself relax ever so slightly- his right hand still in the ready position despite this. "...Not within arm's reach. If you can grab us, you're too close."  
KR nodded and took a small step forward until he perked towards RHF’s hand lightly grabbing his own. He glanced back at RHF and gently shook his head, having to pull his hand away to sign. ‘ _Be O.K._ ’ He tried to assure his husband. “But they might try something.” RHF interjected, flattening his ears worriedly. KR shook his head and faced the other two once again. He kept his hands lifted to show he wasn’t reaching for a weapon as he stepped closer, one after another, until he was a few feet away. He kept a distance so he wasn’t too close, then slowly sat down in front of them to appear as non-threatening as he could. He waved a polite greeting and offered a small smile, then gestured towards the notebook. RHF was watching from a distance but had somewhat moved closer in case anything happened. He trusted KR but this just felt... off.  
Reggie set the notebook back down and pushed it close enough for KR to reach with his scuffed, torn dress shoe, quickly retreating back behind Remus- who was tensed to the point of shaking slightly, holding his breath and giving KR a look that was some equal mix of pure terror, confusion, and aggression. A small click sounded as the middle of his palm opened, but Reggie quickly put a hand over the cybernetic one of his lover and shook his head 'no'.  
KR visibly winced towards the click but gratefully took the notebook into his hand. He rested the notebook onto his leg and began to write in it once again. He seemed surprisingly comfortable, even gazing down at the notebook and back at RHF on occasion. He didn’t seem to be worried about Remus and Reggie, even as he finished writing after a few minutes and pushed the notebook back towards them. “ _We mean no harm! My name is Reginald Copperbottom and my husband is Right Hand Man. What did you say your names were?_ ” He questioned- there was a small smiley face after the written message. He wanted to know if he had heard their names correctly.  
Remus grimaced and Reggie frowned when they read the message, making eye contact for a few moments. "...Reginald Copperbottom and Right Hand Man. I get the feeling we're far from the same people, though. Ex-Toppat leader and his second-in-command. Wanted criminals- in our wo-o-orld, at least." It was Remus who spoke up, pushing the notebook back towards the man on the floor before shifting backwards slightly- all while staring KR down like a cornered animal.  
KR perked towards the information and then took the notebook, flipping to a new page since he would be writing a lot. He spent a good while writing, sometimes erasing, and then pushed the notebook back to them. “ _This could get confusing. Does that mean we can have nicknames? I love nicknames! Okay, okay. I need to think of nicknames so we don’t confuse ourselves. Nicknames are going to be super fun. Oh! Forgot about us. I am King Reginald and my co-king Right Hand Man. I call him Righty for short._ ” KR seemed thoughtful and excited towards the idea of nicknames, completely disregarding the fact these two were wanted criminals. He didn’t seem to mind- or discriminate, actually. He was just so quick to accept them. RHF seemed even more on edge, his sensitive hearing allowing him to overhear the conversation- at least, Remus and Reggie. The words “Wanted Criminals” almost seemed to sting.  
"...We can try the names, Reg." Remus whispered, glancing momentarily at his partner- just in time to see his slight nod of approval. "Remus and Reggie will work for us." Reggie stated, motioning with one hand to show who each name would belong to. "And maybe... KR for you? Short for King Reginald- that's very weird to say, holy shit." A nervous laugh slipped from him and he hid further behind Remus, glancing RHF's way fearfully.  
KR smiled brightly, his expression beaming. He signed ‘K-R’ to himself to familiarize himself with it. He repeatedly signed it to himself and, once he got a grasp on it, he redirected his smile towards Remus and Reggie. ‘ _R-E-M-U-S._ ’ He signed so it stuck and that he wouldn’t forget. He also signed ‘ _R-E-G-G-I-E_ ' for the same reason. With a glance towards RHF, he thought for a moment, then took his notebook back so he could write his response. “ _Remus and Reggie are good nicknames! I like KR too. RHF could work for my husband. Short for Right Hand Fox- that’s a long story._ ” KR both complemented Remus and Reggie while also suggesting the possible nickname for RHF. RHF seemed uneasy towards the mention of nicknames.  
"...RHF works." Remus mumbled in the same instance that Reggie squeaked in surprise, eye going slightly wider. "Husband?" He questioned, drawing the smallest of snorts of amusement from Remus. "That's what you question? Not 'Right Hand Fox', not the entire situation, nope, it's that some other versions of us are married?" His tone was as soft as it'd been so far and he gave Reggie a much longer look before remembering where he was and training his gaze back on KR.  
KR seemed to squeak in his own surprise and quickly took the notebook again to write in it hurriedly. He slid it over when he finished, observing their reactions closely. “ _You two aren’t  married?_” He asked, having underlined the word “aren’t” for emphasis. There was a small doodle of a surprised face after the question. RHF watched from the distance he had been in, his ears swiveling in his attempts at getting a grasp of the entire situation.  
Reggie couldn't prevent his cheeks from flushing slightly as he lifted a hand to cover his mouth with a fist, clearing his throat and leaving Remus to explain. "We've only been together for a week." The cyborg's voice had a warning edge to it- though it was likely hard to pick out among the ever-present robotic tone. Remus glanced between KR and RHF a few times, a twinge of uncertainty entering the swirling mix of emotions shining in his right eye.  
KR rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment and offered a small, breathy chuckle. He swallowed slightly from the faint twinge of pain from the very quiet, albeit audible, sound he had emitted. He returned his focus on Remus and Reggie and then quietly wrote in his notebook again. He slid it over once he finished, very quick to apologize. “ _Sorry! I didn’t know. I’m happy for your relationship!_ ” There was a smiley face and a heart doodled after the message which was also accompanied by KR’s friendly smile if the duo looked at him. RHF slowly stepped closer out of protectiveness as he caught onto the cyborg’s tone- at least, it looked like he did. It was pretty unclear. When RHF stepped closer, his blue eye flickered with magic and a small glow was present beneath his shirt from where his necklace was located. He only stopped stalking closer when KR lifted a hand to halt him, not wanting to make Remus and Reggie more uncomfortable or frightened.  
Remus' gaze shot to RHF, but it didn't quite hold as much fear or aggression as before, as if he were slowly gaining a bit of trust for the two- or he recognized the protectiveness and couldn't blame RHF for it. Reggie hesitated awkwardly for a few moments before looking back at KR and mustering a forced half-smile. "Thank you. I'm happy for yours as well." He stated politely, giving a small dip of his head and hoping that his voice didn't shake too badly.  
KR shifted a bit once he felt his legs grow a bit numb from loss of circulation. He smiled towards Reggie- a sweet, genuine gesture- then glanced towards Remus. He eyed the cyborg curiously. He decided not to ask about how he got the cybernetics since, if he was anything like RHF, it was a sensitive topic. Instead, he wrote in his notebook a different topic and slid it over to them. “ _Remus doesn’t look nearly as fluffy as RHF but still looks pretty cool!_ ” KR said, trying to have that come off as a joke when he chuckled in the slightest. RHF was anxiously pacing behind them, but what was peculiar was how quiet he was. Each step made absolutely no sound as he paced and his paw flexed at his side, clearly uneasy. He didn’t like KR being so close to these strangers who shared the same name as them.  
"That's because Dr. V- at least, _my_ Dr. V- isn't a fucking furry. There's no way that much fake fur can be practical, how the hell can you even get anything done with all that?" Remus retorted, eyeing RHF as he spoke. Behind him, Reggie took a step back before sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, having to lean over slightly to be able to comfortably look at KR, with Remus' cybernetic legs in the way still.  
KR flinched slightly from that and glanced away, seeming hurt even though the comment wasn’t entirely directed towards him. He glanced towards RHF when the fox hybrid stepped closer. “It’s not fake.” RHF remarked, twitching his ears for emphasis. He eyed the cyborg and was quick to stand beside KR’s side, clearly protective. “Fur is probably more natural than a metal ass like yours.” He commented with a swish of his tail. His voice was warbled slightly and faintly echoed like a ghastly presence.  
RHF's voice immediately set Remus on-edge, but a snicker escaped him anyways. "Fair enough. How in the world did someone manage to Frankenstein fox parts onto a human, though? More importantly, _why?_ " His voice held a hint of amusement as he backed up so sit in front and slightly to the side of Reggie, finally lowering his right hand. Reggie visibly relaxed when the cybernetic hand was lowered, managing to flash KR the smallest of genuine smiles.  
RHF watched Remus sit down and slowly relaxed as well, but he was very clearly still on edge. He sighed when KR took his paw and lightly tugged for him to sit down and he reluctantly complied, sitting in front of KR but a little off to the side as well. “Ah. It was a slow process. No, they didn’t gore up a fox to do this.” RHF shrugged and eyed Remus quietly. “I feel like you’d understand better if you met Lua.”  
"I can assume the process was at least as traumatic as it was for me, if not worse. And, for reference, these aren't solid metal." He tapped the fingers of his right hand against his leg for just a moment before wincing and moving to do the same with his left hand, tucking his right one close to himself once more. Reggie perked up with interest slightly, watching RHF carefully. "Who's Lua...? Were they the person who, uh... helped you get those bits?"  
RHF glanced away and twitched his fluffy ears. “Ah. Trauma. Delicious trauma.” He sarcastically commented before shrugging at Remus and Reggie. He watched Remus with piqued interest for a split second before finally regarding Reggie’s question. He shook his head and hesitantly pulled out the necklace from beneath his shirt, revealing the fox head. “Lua is a fox spirit who keeps me alive. You can meet her... if she wants to come out. She’s a bit skittish at times.” He explained, allowing the necklace to fall back over his chest. KR remained silent- it wasn’t like he could say anything or add anything meaningful into the conversation. He just fidgeted with his notebook like he wanted to say something but decided against it.  
"...Not the oddest thing I've heard of. Explains the fur, at least. I'd hate to look at you with that night vision on…" Remus trailed off, staring at RHF and occasionally glancing at KR. Meanwhile, Reggie let out a small noise of amusement, fidgeting nervously with the ring on his finger and looking around at the corridor around him.  
“Night vision?” RHF asked quietly with a slight tilt of his head. His ears flopped to the side in the process as he stared, curious. He was still on edge but at least they were just talking. He could do talking. KR watched the two speak to one another since he wasn’t able to. He quietly flipped to a clean page in his notebook and began to idly doodle within the page, along with write other things. He smiled towards it and sat the notebook on the ground, sliding it over to Reggie. “ _May I sit next to you? I apologize for my slow responses in advance. I’m not the fastest writer- faster at signing._ ” He asked. There was a doodle of a little stick figure waving with a few doodled hearts floating around him. It seemed KR liked to do little drawings to try and ease any tension.  
Remus nearly snapped a 'no fucking way' in response to KR's question, but Reggie grabbed his arm and gave a small nod to him before turning his attention fully to KR. "...Yeah, you can. Just don't touch me." He stated, uncertainty clinging to him as he shifted to be at Remus' side, holding onto his left arm with a nervous expression. "We should probably figure out some of the other... differences between our worlds. And between each other."  
KR smiled in understanding and carefully scooted closer. He glanced towards RHF who watched him but didn’t move against it. RHF trusted KR, especially with what he knew of. KR quietly grabbed the notebook and began to write in it again. He flipped it over with his already familiar smile so that Reggie and Remus could read it. “ _Thank you. It’s much easier being closer than having to continuously push a notepad back and forth._ ” He said, still keeping a short distance away so Reggie wouldn’t feel cluttered with him so close. He didn’t want Reggie to feel like he was going to touch him, even if it was accidental. He respected the other man.  
Remus gave KR one of his signature glares, tense and untrusting of the king- with his right hand once more raised and ready to protect Reggie if need be. Reggie paused for a few long moments after reading the notepad before mustering a fake smile for KR and responding. "Yeah. I'm sorry I don't know more sign... Never had time to sit down and learn more than the very basics."  
KR shook his head and watched Reggie’s expression for a brief moment. He seemed thoughtful but didn’t dare stare longer and averted his gaze towards the notepad. He began to write again until he heard the snap of his pencil’s lead. He sighed and sat the pencil down, quietly taking out another one from his pocket- it was unclear how many spares he had. He then turned the notepad back around so Reggie and Remus could see it. “ _It’s okay! The fact you know any at all is impressive. I carry around a notepad for a reason. I’m just glad you at least know basics!_ ” RHF watched the exchange go down, his eyes now able to see the notepad since he was closer. He twitched his ears and listened to the ones who could speak and watched his husband write out responses.  
"You shouldn't have to use a notepad to talk in your own kingdom- assuming this _is_ your kingdom. This sure looks like a castle..." Reggie trailed off, looking around at his surroundings nervously once again. Remus continued to glare at KR, wrapping his left arm around Reggie to pull him closer- all while holding his right hand up at chest level, ready to charge up a blast if he needed to.  
KR sighed quietly and began to write in the notepad again. He held it up with what could only be described as a sad smile. “ _RHF translates for me to my people. I typically write responses in conversations like the one we are having now._ ” He explained, his expression briefly fell. He quickly shoved the sadness away and offered another smile. RHF eyed Remus to make sure he didn’t try anything. As much as he trusted KR, he couldn’t help but feel the need to be at the ready. That was just the kind of person he was.  
"That's... horrible, honestly. I'm sorry that communication is so difficult for you within your own kingdom." Reggie sighed, letting that fake smile fall into a light frown. "You can't do anything more to make it easier to communicate, and your own people won't put forth the effort... I'm sorry." After a few long momnets of thought, Reggie shifted around and- much to Remus' visible distress- extended a hand to offer it to KR in a handshake. "I don't know how long we'll be stuck here, but I'll try to learn some more sign while I'm here, to make it even just a tiny bit easier for you."  
RHF immediately flinched towards Reggie suddenly extending his hand out to KR. He watched the exchange with flattened ears, preparing himself. KR, however, hesitated greatly. He stared at the hand and then shook his head quickly, scrambling to grab his notebook. He quickly wrote in it and flipped it around. “ _You don’t have to do that! I’m fine with writing. It’s okay._ ” He then stared at the extended hand and quietly wrote more and flipped it around. “ _I don’t want to put you on edge. Thank you for the offer of a handshake but you didn’t want me to touch you. I don’t want to go against your wishes, even though you offered the handshake._ ” He seemed apologetic and nervous. Normally, he was a very touchy person but he didn’t want to disrespect Reggie in any way or make him uncomfortable.  
"It's alright- a handshake won't hurt, unless Ri- Remus over here bruises my arm from tensing up so bad." Reggie casted the lover a look at was a mix of amusement and worry, gaining a small shake of his head and a slackening of the grip on his arm in respose. Reggie let out a quiet, thoughtful hum as he turned his attention back to KR- having never pulled his hand back. He flashed a small, genuine smile, making eye contact. "I don't mind a small touch like that, really."  
KR slowly nodded and sat his notebook down on the ground, extending his own hand. He firmly- albeit gently- grasped onto Reggie’s hand with his familiar smile. Despite his soft appearance, his hand had hardened calluses from the usage of weapons and other things. Despite the hardened calluses, he tried to be as gentle as he could be to not alarm Reggie. RHF sighed quietly to himself, slowly relaxing once he realized Reggie wasn’t doing anything that he might regret. He tapped his tail rhythmically against the ground.  
Remus jerked forwards when KR grabbed Reggie's hand but he didn't try anything, scowling and glaring at KR- a hint of fear showing in his eyes despite his aggression. Reggie shook KR's hand for just a little too long before pulling away, pressing into Remus' side and clinging onto his arm once more. "...RHF, you mentioned knowing the askers as well...? Do you know if they're the ones who brought me and Remus here? I didn't hear any of them on our end say anything about it..."  
KR pulled his hand away and stared at it, almost seeming to gawk at the fact Reggie had trusted him with a handshake. Sure, it was a simple gesture but he seemed happy about it. RHF watched the duo for a moment and shrugged. “Nay. I didn’t hear any of them say a word about anything relating to this.” “ _At least we’re all fine for the most part. No one is dead! Not dying is very good._ ” KR wrote out, flipping the notebook around so the others could see it. He didn’t expect them to pay attention to him since he didn’t speak. If he was ignored, he was used to it.  
Both Remus and Reggie watched KR, the shorter of the two giving a small laugh at the written words. "Yeah, at least no one's dead, and it seems like no one's under the effects of anon magic, so we've at least got some sort of positive. We should probably figure out how long this is going to last- and if it wasn't anon magic we should figure out what it is and if it's reversible. We need to get back to our world." A thought crossed Remus' mind and he became visibly upset, his tense posture loosening slightly and his glare turned into a look of hopelessness- and yet, he stayed silent, watching RHF and KR nervously.  
KR was silent, observing Remus’ expression intently. As someone who was hardly heard or noticed, he typically listened closely to each word others says- each expression shown. He would view each expression and pick anything he could from it to further his chances and to tell if it was positive or negative. At the expression of hopelessness from Remus, he made a soft squeak of concern. He glanced towards RHF, almost pleadingly, and offered that pleading look even more when RHF looked incredibly against what KR was implying. RHF stared at KR for a lengthy moment and flattened his ears a bit with uncertainty. He stared at KR’s fluent gestures and then just sighed. “Reg- Uh, KR- wants to know if you two want to stay in the castle... or some shit.” He murmured, glancing towards KR’s quick signing again. Translating it, he glanced towards Remus and Reggie. “You don’t have to pay us for the shelter, either. It’s until we figure out what the fuck is going on.”  
Surprise quickly filled the expressions of both Reggie and Remus- the latter also showing mistrust. "You don't have to do that! We'd- okay, I'm not sure if we'd be able to find shelter here- I don't have my wallet, even if currency is the same across worlds- but we'd live. You don't have to do that." Reggie was quick to explain, a somewhat nervous smile coming to his face. "...Reggie, after what those bastards put us through, followed by all this? I think it'd be perfectly fine for us to stay here. Besides, there's no telling how other people would react- if they'd recognize us or not, how they'd treat my cybernetics, how they'd feel about us not having anything to pay with... it's best we stay here."  
KR nodded quickly, offering a bright smile. He began to write in his notepad again and flipped it around once he was done. “ _It’s no problem at all! We have many spare rooms, plenty of food if you’re hungry, and adequate living quarters. Each room has a large bathroom if you need it and I could even get you new clothes that aren’t regal-looking. Just comfortable, new clothing! We have plenty._ ” He said. It took him a while to write so much but he seemed incredibly happy to do so. He just wanted to help Remus and Reggie. RHF seemed to sigh and just shrug. “KR’s the boss.” He muttered. He didn’t know how much he liked this- probably not at all, honestly- but he trusted KR’s judgment. Besides, when KR was set on something, he definitely won’t change his mind anytime soon.  
"If you're sure..." Reggie's mumble trailed off and his gaze fell to the ground for a few moments before returning to KR- along with a fake smile plastered onto his face. "We should probably learn more about each other, if we're going to be staying here for who knows how long. There's no telling what all's different about our worlds- and I don't know if I can speak for Remus, but I sure know I have a long list of topics to avoid."  
KR nodded in agreement with a slight tilt of his head. He slowly stood and offered his hand to both Remus and Reggie if they chose to accept his aid in getting up- trying to be polite. He gestured towards the corridor when he tucked his notebook and pencils into his clothing. “I definitely would be interested in getting to know you two a bit... better.” RHF hesitantly admitted and stood to his feet- paws? It was hard to tell, given the fact he wore normal human boots that went up to his knees and his cloak covered the rest of his legs. “Although, we should find you two a room and we can talk there. There’s less.. possible ears and eyes.”  
Reggie accepted KR's offer of help, whilst Remus ignored it and got to his (very clearly cybernetic) feet on his own. "That's probably for the best. Most of these things are going to be uncomfortable enough to share with the two of you, much less in an area where who-knows-who could be listening." Remus sighed heavily, grabbing onto Reggie's hand and gesturing with his head for KR to take the lead. "Yeah... and some rest would be nice. Cramming two people on one hospital bed doesn't make for very comfortable sleep."  
“Hospital bed?” RHF asked what both him and KR were thinking. His ears twitched as KR seemed incredibly concerned for Reggie and Remus. “ _Do I need to grab medical supplies too? Are you two okay?_ ” KR asked, quickly having pulled out his notepad to write that for the duo. He began to walk forward but kept a slow pace so that he could anxiously glance back at Remus and Reggie at the thought that they could be hurt or something similar.  
"Oh, no, we're fine. Whatever magic brought us here... essentially, the magic fixed the problem." Reggie hurried to reassure, giving Remus' arm a light pat. "It's... well, long story short, my adoptive mom trusted an old man with a taser, when she really shouldn't have," Remus explained with a shrug and a quiet chuckle, following a few feet behind KR and RHF. "Fucking Petrov, the bastard... That man shouldn't be trusted with a butter knife, much less a high-security complex."  
“Ah, that’s one similarity.” RHF chipped in, his ears flattening slightly towards the mention of Petrov. He cringed slightly and his face contorted into an expression of anger. “Petrov’s ruin everything. Fucking hell... I want to shoot him.” He muttered and glanced towards Remus. “Our Petrov shouldn’t be trusted with a kingdom, much less four dragons. He’s the supposed prince of his own kingdom shared with Galeforce. I really don’t get why the fuck Galeforce puts up with that unevolved shit stain.” KR just awkwardly walked along, leading them down the hall. He was glad Remus and Reggie were fine but at the mention of Petrov, he just went quiet- quieter than normal, at least.  
"A fucking prince?! What the hell?! Petrov's a warden at some complex in our world, and Galeforce is a military general. Galeforce at least treats people with human decency, Petrov tried to fucking kill me on-sight despite being told not to even have a weapon." Remus practically growled the words, his right eye narrowing and filling with anger at the memory of Dmitri lunging out at him- and the resulting pain, both his own and Reggie's. The shorter of the two stayed quiet, rubbing his arm and looking off to the side- letting Remus lead him.“I doubted he’d be a prince in your world. A warden though? The fuck?” RHF blinked rapidly and swished his tail behind him in a rhythmic pattern. “And Galeforce is a military general? Fucking hell, there’s so many difference but also similarities about our worlds...” He sighed and rubbed at his forehead as though he was getting a headache. “At least we can all collectively agree that Petrov’s have caused harm to all four of us, yeah?” KR awkwardly nodded and rubbed at his arm briefly. He fidgeted with his ring once his hand touched it.  
"Yeah. Petrov caused a whole hell of a lot of problems for the entire clan- plenty good members were arrested or killed because of him. Joe, Wallace..." Remus trailed off, getting distracted by the sight of Reggie rubbing his arm. A frown came to his face and he stopped for a moment to scoop Reggie up bridal style- earning a small squeal and the shorter man throwing an arm around his shoulders for security. He then continued walking, picking up the pace slightly to keep up with KR and RHF.  
RHF couldn’t help but slightly smirk towards Reggie and Remus- it was a very subtle gesture- towards the bridal style carry. It felt very familiar to him. Finally, he sighed. “My condolences for your losses.” He genuinely whispered, his voice a bit softer than he meant it to be. KR nodded in agreement and glanced towards their new friends- at least, he wanted to believe they’ll be friends eventually. He already kind of likes them.  
"It's alright. Kinda comes with the job- being in an infamous clan of criminals comes with a whole hell of a lot of risks, and being a relatively high-ranking person like Wallace was comes with quite the bounty on your head. It's to be expected that you'll lose people you love." Remus explained with a heavy sigh, glancing down every once in a while to make sure that Reggie was alright with the position he was in.  
RHF nodded in understanding with a slight twitch of his ears. “Being a king has its perks and downfalls. The stress is... overwhelming at times. Re- KR would definitely know that firsthand.” He explained, glancing over towards KR to make sure the other king was alright with him sharing what he was saying. When KR made no moves against him, he continued. “We, too, lost many of our men due to the Petrovs. I despise them with every fiber of my being.”  
"Glad to know at least that's the same across words- Dmitri being a fucking bitch. Alright, what about Shi-" He cut himself off, frowning, when he realized that the insulting nickname would be bad to use if, by some miracle, Terrence was close to them in this world. "...Terrence, I mean. Terrence Suave." Reggie visibly flinched at the name, hiding his face in Remus' chest and toying with the man's half-ponytail.  
Both of the kings visibly flinched and went abnormally silent. For a lengthy moment, they remained completely quiet, contemplating what they would say about the hero that was Terrence. Quietly, they made eye contact with each other and KR willed himself to glance away and face the others briefly. KR opened his hands instinctively as he signed, closing his hands and pressing them lightly against the front of his shoulders. He then moved his hands away from his shoulders with closed fists and then extended his hands in front of him, opening them so the palms faced each other, slowly lowering to his waist. RHF, knowing the other two wouldn’t understand, translated for KR since KR didn’t want to write it down- it was personal, after all. “Hero.” He translated simply, sighing briefly. He gently took KR’s hand into his own and cupped it with both of his, easily engulfing it.  
Remus grimaced, looking down at the man in his arms- and wishing he could wipe the overwhelming look of guilt off of Reggie's face. "...He was no hero in our world." He whispered, half-hoping that KR and RHF didn't hear the words as he closed his right eye, wishing he could close his left as well. Reggie fully buried his face in Remus' chest, his thoughts nearly overwhelming him- his body beginning to tremble as he drew in shaking breaths, eyes screwed shut as if it'd prevent RHF and KR from seeing him like this. A look of distress flashed across Remus' face and he leaned down to press a kiss to Reggie's forehead, not daring any more thorough comfort in such a setting- especially not with the topic at hand being such opposite views of a certain Suave.  
RHF twitched his ears towards Remus’ words and seemed quite hesitant. He knew better to get offended- in all honesty, he couldn’t really bring himself to be offended. The askers had assumed Terrence was an evil, malicious man in this world so he could only assume that they had gotten that impression because of the fact it was rare for any kind of Terrence Suave to be a hero. He kissed the back of KR’s hand, his lips lingering on KR’s skin for a lengthy moment. After the gentle kiss, he pulled away and slowed his strides so KR was still leading but he was now walking abreast of Remus. RHF kept a respectable distance away so Remus wouldn’t feel threatened and he flattened his ears. “My condolences.” He murmured softly, unsure of why exactly he was so soft. Maybe it was the fact that Remus and Reggie were so familiar but so different, their love something RHF was familiar with. That gentle look and those gentle touches with the lingering of lips was something RHF knew well. RHF didn’t dare touch Remus to offer any comfort since he didn’t know how the cyborg would react to suddenly being touched, although it was clear he had lifted his hand in the slightest but thought better of it. Finally, he faced ahead. “I apologize greatly for that drastically large difference between our worlds. It.. probably hurt a lot when we said he was that different.” He didn’t dare say the word ‘hero’ in case the other two would be even more hurt. KR didn’t even sign anything, instead just lead them around a corner and down another hall.  
Reggie let out an almost pained whimper, clinging onto Remus a little tighter- elicting a worried sigh from the taller man. "It's alright, RHF. It'd not like his actions- in this world or ours- were your fault. If he was a hero here, I'm sure the news that he was far from it in our would is upsetting and shocking. It's... probably best we change the topic, and revisit it later if we need to. Reggie's stressed enough as it is." Remus fell silent afterwards, holding the man in his arms close and peppering the top of his head with gentle, reassuring kisses.  
RHF nodded understandably and glanced towards KR. The other king was quiet with his posture straightened, his cape swaying behind him in slow, languid patterns. He knew KR too well to know he was holding in more than he was letting on. He didn’t mind the offer to change the subject. When KR stopped by a room and began to unlock it, RHF perked his ears up. “Ah. Looks like KR found a room for you two.” He said and joined KR’s side right as KR opened the door that led into the extremely cozy-looking room. There was a surprisingly large bed with many pillows and blankets if needed, clearly extras, and purple drapes that fell before the windows with shimmering golden trimmings. There was a nice view of the large kingdom- could even see the huge pond a short distance away, decorated in flowers and little statue ornaments. There was also a personal bathroom- quite a large one, honestly- where they could freshen up and there was also a closet. The closet itself was empty but KR will definitely give them clothes if they wanted fresh ones. KR gestured for the others to follow him into the room while he had a smile plastered to his face- even RHF could never tell if he was faking those smiles of his.  
Remus looked around the room before moving to gently lay Reggie down on the bed, pecking his lips and hiding his face from view until he was comfortably settled with his hands hiding his face. Remus then turned to face KR and RHF, mustering a small, grateful smile. "Thank you for this. Hopefully we can figure out a way back to our world and get out of your hair sooner rather than later, but until then, thank you so, so much for your hospitality. If there's any way we can repay you, please tell us." As Remus spoke, Reggie curled up on the bed, keeping his face hidden- his shame and guilt clear as day despite his attempts to hide it.  
KR glanced worriedly towards Reggie, his mahogany eyes softening towards the guilt he observed on Reggie. His smile curved into a subtle frown until he perked towards Remus. He lifted his hands, deciding to sign and have RHF translate so it was quicker. RHF watched KR sign, each hand and finger flicking here and there expertly. “Of course. You two are welcome to stay for as long as you need. You don’t need to repay us at all. Just your ‘thank you’ is enough.” RHF translated, peering back towards Reggie and Remus. He didn’t say anything more but KR seemed pretty happy with being so kind. After a brief moment KR glanced towards the empty closet and seemed thoughtful. He faced Remus and Reggie again, observed their attire and their expressions, then nodded curtly to himself. When he signed, RHF translated. “KR said he’s going to get you two new clothes and some food so you two can rest easy.” RHF said. He was not surprised KR was so friendly towards these two but RHF was still mildly uneasy. He was good at hiding it, though. KR turned on his heels and began to make his way towards the door, a bright smile plastered to his face.  
Remus hesitated for only a moment before speaking up, glancing over at Reggie. "Could we get some bandages as well...? We both have a few- rather minor- injuries, and we didn't exactly have any extra on us." He tried his best to play it off with a laugh and a small shrug, but he once more glanced at Reggie, worry tainting his features. "If not, it's alright- I might be able to wash out the ones we have, if they're not completely ruined."  
KR perked towards Remus and Reggie, willing himself to glance back at them. He hesitated briefly and watched Remus’ expression closely, a small shimmer of skepticism shining within his optics. However, his concern shadowed the look of skepticism as he watched Remus’ countenance. When Remus showed worry for Reggie, that concern only grew. KR nodded quickly and then walked up to them. He pulled out his notebook so that RHF wouldn’t have to translate, then proceeded to scribble words into it rather quickly but made sure it was legible. “ _I’ll gladly get the bandages for you. Plenty of extra bandages, too. Are you two okay though?_ ” He asked, glancing subtly towards Reggie with a small flicker of his eyes.  
"That incident with Petrov was only a few days ago, and we were both injured in it. My shoulder, Reggie's knees and calves. Concrete is a hell of a thing." He waved off KR's extra concern, glancing at Reggie once more. "We've already cleaned the wounds and such- there was a doctor with us- but keeping them bandaged up would be best because of what kind of injuries they are." As he spoke, he reached to rub a hand lightly over his left shoulder, scowling slightly at the scene he didn't remember but had been told about. "Tasers are already horrible enough when you're not half robot."  
KR only seemed to get more concerned at the mention of a shoulder injury. He made a slight, audible squeak and quickly scribbled down his response. “ _Shoulder? That’s a pain to bandage on your own. If you need help bandaging any wounds, you can ask me if you’d like. Only if you’re comfortable with showing me, of course. You’re not obligated to trust me with something like... that._ ” KR said, slightly rolling out his own shoulder so he could hear the tiny pop of it shifting. Despite the growing anxiety rising in his chest, he kept a straight face- as ironic as that was- and watched Remus closely.  
"It's pretty nasty looking, but sure. Reggie's not the best at wrapping wounds, and because of where it is, it's really awkward, so the help'd be appreciated" He gave a small nod in KR's direction, flashing him one of his small, genuine smiles in hopes of reassuring him. "It shouldn't be bloody anymore, but it might have reopened in that panic earlier- it's hurting more than it has been. Stupid fucking Petrov..."  
KR nodded and wrote in his notepad once he flipped to a fresh page. “ _I know how to wrap shoulders pretty well. You can count on me Remus!_ ” He said. There was a small smiley face after the message that was mimicked from KR’s friendly smile. He hurried towards the door with his notepad to go grab anything he needed for his new friends. RHF watched how quickly KR hurried out of the room and slowly blinked. “Damn. KR is very passionate and enthusiastic about a lot of things but this one kind of surprises me.” He admitted and glanced towards the only other two in the room. He moved a bit closer to them but he didn’t get too close in case he made them uncomfortable. From experience, he knew about personal space.  
Remus moved to sit on the bed beside Reggie, gently rubbing the smaller man's side and letting out a soft sigh. He watched as Reggie uncovered his face, still looking somewhat guilty but not nearly as much so. After a few moments of watching RHF, Reggie patted the bed beside him, mustering a small smile. "Come sit down, it's alright. If you were going to hurt either of us, you would've already done it, I'm sure. And before you say it, I don't mind, really."  
RHF looked pleasantly surprised by the offer and twitched his ears as if to check if he heard that right. Finally, he stepped closer until he was by the edge of the bed. He settled down on the edge and shifted himself so he was comfortable and glanced towards Remus and Reggie. “It’s reassuring you trust me enough.” The fox-hybrid admitted. He hardly noticed his tail beginning to wag behind him as he sat there, observing the two of them. “This entire situation is just... so bizarre.” He admitted, flaring his nostrils briefly. He swallowed a bit towards the metallic scent that reached his nose. He glanced towards Remus when he smelled the scent of blood and allowed his pupils to dilate as he observed him, probably staring for longer than he should’ve.  
"It's alright, I get it. I'm still hoping this is some odd dream." Reggie laughed half-heartedly, pushing himself into a sitting position and leaning back against the headboard of the bed with his eyes closed. Remus let out a sigh and shifted to be between Reggie and RHF, returning the stare with a mix of confusion and unamusement on his face. "Why are you staring at me like that?" He challenged after a few moments too long, narrowing his right eye suspiciously.  
RHF blinked and shrugged. “Ah, my apologies.” He sat back a bit so he could press his hands against the bed more comfortably. “You said you both had scuffs and minor injuries, correct? I smelled a little bit of blood on you, Remus. The staring was weird, I know. I just wanted to check how major it was.” He explained himself, flaring his nostrils again for emphasis. “Those bandages KR is getting will come in handy even more then.”  
"Oh, shit. It must have reopened. Here, let me..." Remus trailed off, shifting around to lift the corner of his shirt enough to show the bandages wrapped expertly around his shoulder. There was a bit of blood soaking through them, but not enough to be from a major injury. He kept as mucn of the rest of him covered as he could, but a small portion of the seam betwee his cybernetics and organic skin was visible, alon with plenty of various scars that seemed to be from fighting. "Is there blood on the bandages? They were clean when I put them on."  
RHF learned forward and observed the bandages while twitching his ears. “Only a little.” He responded, unable to help himself from observing the other scars he could see from the position. His brows furrowed in mild awe and concern but he quickly averted his gaze back to the bandages. “Not bad at all, which is good. Knowing KR, he’ll probably grab you some disinfectants as well for any opened wounds.”  
Remus quickly tugged his shirt back down, smoothing a hand over his chest before settling back in place beside Reggie. "Thanks. A little bit isn't bad, yeah- probably just opened back up a bit in the worst spot." As Remus spoke, Reggie cuddled up to his side, staying quiet and watching RHF with almost unreadable eyes- the only thing able to be fully picked out from the swirling emotions there being slight exhaustion.  
RHF watched them for a moment and glanced towards the door. When it was clear KR wasn’t returning yet, he glanced back towards Remus and Reggie. He stared at Remus’ cybernetics and blinked. “Your.. robot parts? Is that what I should call it? I’m not sure. Anyway, they look pretty... cool. Impressive, too.” He attempted to start up any kind of small talk. As ironic as it was, KR was much better at small talk than he was- able to hold a conversation better than him too. RHF still tried but it was clear he was a little anxious.  
"Cybernetics, but they are robot parts, so that works as well. Thank you- Dr. V's the best at what she does. That's who made them, and who... brought me back." As Remus spoke, he extended his right arm in front of him, rotating it and flexing his fingers as if showing off. "They can do some cool stuff, too- they've saved both of our lives more than a few times."  
RHF blinked in awe towards the cybernetics, his pupils dilating continuously like an awestruck cat. He lifted his human hand- his left- and hesitated briefly. “Can... Can I touch it?” He questioned, peering up at Remus’ face with slightly flattened ears. “I haven’t seen anything like this before. It’s.. honestly pretty incredible.”  
"Yeah, you can touch. Don't stick your fingernails into any of the gaps and we'll be good. Cybernetics this advanced- especially ones involving the head- are rare enough in my world, and likely even more so here." Remus explained, almost a tiny bit of pride coming to him as he let RHF feel his cybernetic arm. "Most of the time, it's just a limb, maybe partials on multiple, but large chunks like Remus has are rare because it's so hard to do."  
RHF ran his hand gently over Remus’ cybernetic arm, completely gawking at it. His tail began to lightly tap the bed behind him out of excitement towards the abnormal feel of the metallic arm. He had his right arm- the one with fur- tucked close against him as he felt Remus’ arm. “For me, it’s rare to be able to combine your soul with a spirit.” RHF eventually stated, focusing on Remus’ face again. “A lot of the spirits didn’t want to save me, according to KR. Lua was the only one who wanted to try and save me. Without her and the sorcerer, I definitely wouldn’t be here.”  
"I'm glad Lua wanted to save you. She made a good decision." Remus nodded slowly as he spoke, keeping his right arm still to allow RHF to feel, a tiny bit of amusement on his face. "My legs are like that, too- cybernetic- and that's what's wrong with the left side of my face. My legs and arm are different than my head, though- they can extend and shift into different things, whilst my head's just... normal. Too risky to have stuff like that so close to the brain."  
RHF blinked at Remus for a moment and was hardly aware of the fact his tail was wagging a bit more behind him. He smiled- a small, genuine smile- at the fact Remus had said Lua made a good decision. “I’m glad your Dr. V brought you back. She, too, made a good decision.” RHF stated while holding that smile. Finally, he pulled his hand away and stared at the other cybernetic parts that made up Remus’ body. After a moment of hesitation, he held out his furry arm and rolled his cloak’s sleeve up to reveal that same, pristine blue fur that covered his entire right arm. “You can touch mine if you wish. It’s only fair. Reggie can as well, if he wants.”  
"Are you sure?" Reggie questioned, scooting closer and lifting a hand but pausing to meet RHF's gaze. "I don't want to do something that would make you uncomfortable. You've been too kind to us already." Remus gave Reggie a worried glance, reaching a hand to rest it between his shoulder blades, but he didn't get a response- the shorter man fully focused on making sure RHF would be okay with a touch to his arm.  
“I don’t mind at all. Just don’t tug too roughly on the fur though. It isn’t really sensitive but it just feels uncomfortable.” RHF stated and offered a small smile. “It’s a little chilly at first so if you feel a bit cold, don’t be alarmed.” He gently warned, watching them expectantly. He kept his arm extended and steady so they could touch his fur- if they applied a bit of pressure, they probably would be able to feel the roughness of his scarred flesh beneath the fur. He kept his small smile plastered to his face to show he was fine with it.  
It was only Reggie who shifted forwards and closed the gap, gently settling his hand on the soft fur. He let out a surprised noise and pulled his hand back slightly at first, having not expected just how chilly the fur would be, but he set his hand back down afterwards and began slowly and gently petting RHF's forearm- fore...paw?- with a small smile on his face. "That's... real fur, for sure. Huh... It's cold, but not really in a bad way- like a cool breeze on a hot day, sort of."  
RHF watched Reggie carefully, keeping perfectly still save for the wag of his tail behind him. He swallowed slightly and smirked slightly. “KR says it’s comforting, especially during the summer. During winter, the fur thickens and becomes softer even though it doesn’t seem possible with how soft it is already.” He awkwardly chuckled, unsure if he felt weird because Reggie- someone who looked like KR- was touching him and wasn’t KR, or if he felt weird because someone was touching him in general. He slightly glanced down at his necklace where it flickered and he smirked, knowing Lua was snickering towards the entire exchange.  
Reggie continued gently stroking the soft fur for a few long moments before pulling away and returning to his spot beside Remus, letting his eyes close as he leaned back against the headboard. Remus chuckled quietly and wrapped an arm around Reggie's shoulders, eyeing RHF's right arm as if debating rather or not to take him up on the offer of touching the fur there. After a few moments too long of this, he made a choice, staying right where he was and humming quietly under his breath.  
RHF pulled his arm back so it rested against his lap. He seemed thoughtful with his dual-colored eyes fixating on the fur along his arm with the rolled up sleeve. He pulled the sleeve back over his arm and twitched his ears. “Speaking of my fur, I just thought of something.” He paused for a moment as though contemplating if it’d be a good idea. He soon made his decision and lifted his head towards Remus and Reggie with his eyes surprisingly softening towards them. “To get you two back home, we could visit the sorcerer who helped me those years ago. If anyone knows what to do with this, it’d be him. He might be able to give us a lead of sorts.” He offered, offering the other two a slight tilt of his head. “Obviously, there’s no guarantee but it’s worth a shot.”  
Surprise flashed across Remus' face, follow by confusion. "He? Would that sorcerer be the one who helped you with...?" He trailed off, motioning to the fur on RHF's right arm with a confused expression on his face. Reggie opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow at Remus and searching his eyes- trying to figure out why on earth he needed this information.  
“Indeed.” RHF nodded simply, tilting his head faintly at Remus a though he was confused by Remus’ surprise and confusion. He glanced down at his own arm and lifted it to slightly splay his fingers out to observe the fur. “He might be able to determine how you two showed up and how to reverse it. The other spirits might know something, too. I’m not sure exactly. He’s the one who communicates with them all.”  
"Sorry, sorry, just... Dr. V's a she in my world, so you saying 'he' threw me off. How soon do you think we can talk to him? We want to get out of you and KR's hair before we become an annoyance, or cause probelms." Remus explained, taking the role of talker while Reggie cuddled into his side and merely listened. "We can hope he'll be able to help, and quickly..."  
RHF eyed Remus for a few moments, almost seeming surprised towards the mention of Dr. V being female. After a moment of his processing, he cleared his throat. “You two aren’t a bother.” He admitted with the slightest of smiles. “And you could meet him probably as soon as tomorrow since I’m sure you two are exhausted and need your rest tonight. It’s a bit of a journey though. We have some transportation that’ll get us there quicker, but it still might be a journey regardless. Will you two be alright with that?” RHF asked, watching them with softened eyes. When he realized his gaze was softened towards Remus and Reggie, he quickly hardened his gaze to put up a protective wall in front of his eyes.  
"That depends solely on what kind of transportation. This world seems... not as advanced, so I assume it's not going to be a leisurely car ride." Remus laughed, rubbing a hand over Reggie's shoulder gently even as he focused on RHF's words. "It'd be best to meet him as soon as possible, but it might have to be a few more days until we can- especially if we have to go on horseback or something. You saw how that wound on my shoulder opened up, and I hardly did anything there."  
“....Core?” RHF questioned, completely butchering how to say the word ‘car’. “What the fuck is a ‘core’ for transportation? The fuck?” He seemed completely bewildered and confused, his face contorting to match his dumbfounded emotions.  
Remus sighed heavily and gave a little shake of his head, whilst a dumbfounded look came to Reggie's face. "That's exactly what I thought. Don't worry about it- it's something from our world that apparently doesn't exist in yours. Don't worry about it."  
“Okay. Don’t worry about it. Alright.” RHF murmured to himself, still visibly confused. His ears twitched and, before he could say anything, he perked towards the sound of the room’s door being pushed open. KR walked into the room, his entire head covered by a pile of clothing in one arm surprisingly balanced without toppling over. In his other arm, he balanced one plate of sausage and eggs with a simple sandwich- something quick to prepare- on the palm of his hand. There was a second plate of an identical meal balanced on the upper region of his arm as he casually strolled in, unbothered by how much he was carrying. He sat the pile of clothing onto the bed, both long sleeves and short sleeves since he didn’t know what they preferred, and then proceeded to set the meals on the bedside table. He seemed satisfied and waved happily towards the trio while RHF smirked at him, completely in awe every time KR impressed him.  
Reggie and Remus both gawked at KR, eyes wide and filled with slight awe. Remus was the first to shake it off, clearning his throat and moving to pick through the clothes. "Thank you very much for all of this. I'm still not quite sure why the two of you didn't throw us into a cell or something- especially since we said we were criminal masterminds- but it's appreciated." As Remus spoke, Reggie moved to join him at the pile of clothes, relief momentarily flashing across his face at the sight of long-sleeved shirts being in the mix.  
RHF shrugged simply, watching them with mild curiosity. “KR likes to test the waters first. I still am surprised by his compassion.” KR offered a thumbs up and grinned, casually taking out his notepad and a pencil. He began to scribble down words on it and flipped it over so Remus and Reggie could see. “ _You two are criminals in your world, but in this one, you have a clean slate. Don’t judge according to a person’s background, I’d say._ ” KR smiled, watching them with genuine gentleness and kindness flickering in his expression.  
A rush of emotions struck both of them, Reggie's gaze falling to the ground as Remus cleared his throat and looked off to the side. "...Thank you. I wish more people had at least your level of compassion, if not your mentality entirely." Remus' voice was soft for a few moments, but he quickly hardened it once more, throwing his guard up and reaching to take one of Reggie's hands into his own. "We've both committed some pretty serious crimes, though. We're wanted... hell, across the world."  
RHF seemed slightly uneasy, but that was to be expected. He trusted KR’s judgment so he didn’t say anything and just watched them. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about the crimes these two committed. KR shrugged and flashed them a smile. He had quickly noticed Remus had softened and he seemed content with that, even as Remus threw his guard up again. He scribbled down words onto his page in his notepad and spun it around once more. “ _That’s alright. You don’t have to worry about that here. You’re safe, as long as you don’t cause trouble. Otherwise, you’re welcome to stay for as long as you need! We can even show you around, if you wish._ ”  
Reggie was the first to speak this time, his voice wavering with emotions. "...Thank you, KR. It means more than I know how to voice. We... We shouldn't have any reason to cause trouble, so we should be fine, yeah." Reggie fell silent afterwards, leaning against Remus and squeezing the hand that was resting in his own. "So long as no one picks a fight, I won't stir up trouble. Things were different then- far, far different."  
KR slightly chuckled- a tiny, breathy sound. He smiled simply towards Reggie and began to write. He was taking quite a while to the point RHF peered over at him to see what in the world he was writing. Finally, KR turned the notebook around, the entire page filled with words. “ _As someone who can’t talk, it’s hard to convey emotions efficiently. Sometimes, people completely miss what I’m trying to say because they think opposite of what I tried to convey. That’s why I always try to get the full picture- check people’s expressions, listen to every word they say, and pay the closest attention I can to them. You don’t need to say any kind of words, Reggie, for me to know you appreciate this. You don’t have to do anything, either. I know actions speak louder than words, but for this occasion, just a ‘thank you’ is enough from you two. I hope we can become more than mere acquaintances. At least- in this world- if you need something, you have two allies here until you can get back home. You can come to us about anything!_ ” KR said and RHF quickly realized why it took him so long to say that. He wrote an entire speech.  
Remus and Reggie stared at KR even after they'd finished reading the words, tears gathering in Reggie's eyes as Remus' swirled with unreadable emotions. It was a few moments before either of them could muster a sound- said sound having been the soft, wavering 'thank you' that slipped from Reggie's lips as he reached up to wipe at the tears that had begun leaking from his eyes. It was clear that such encouraging words had been few and far between, for the two ex-criminals.  
RHF almost seemed dumbfounded that the two ex-criminals had such strong reactions from KR’s words. Then again, KR had that effect on a lot of people- RHF included. KR seemed slightly worried for Reggie and quickly began to write on a separate page since the page he used was completely filled. He flipped it over and made a tiny squeak of concern. “ _I didn’t mean to make you cry! I’m sorry! Are you okay?_ ” He quickly asked. “I think it’s happy tears, KR.” RHF pointed out with a tilt of his head. All KR responded with was a still-concerned squeak.  
Reggie nodded, mustering a reassuring smile for KR, still swiping at his eyes with the back of a gloved hand. "...I'm okay. They're happy tears. I really needed to hear something like that." Remus let Reggie finish before pulling him into a tight hug, wrapping around him- but keeping his eyes on KR, his look more thoughtful than anything.  
KR sighed in relief and flashed a warm smile. He then turned to face the clothing and began to peek through them a bit as though he just remembered something. He pulled out some bandages and a small bottle of disinfectant he had tucked within the sleeves of some of the clothing. He may be skillful in balancing things but the bandages would have rolled off and so would have the disinfectant. He held the medical equipment out and sat them on the bed before writing something else. “ _Almost forgot about these! I put them in the clothing so they didn’t fall. If you need me to wrap anything, I’ll gladly help!_ ” KR said, keeping his warm smile. RHF watched them with a twitch of his ears. He swished his tail against the bed, not saying a word. He merely observed.  
"Oh, right, my shoulder." Remus reluctantly removed himself from the hug to shift around with his back facing KR and RHF, a look of uncertainty crossing his face. "...RHF, would you be okay with leaving the room...? I don't... like showing things to any more people than I need to." Remus requested, glancing over at RHF with an almost nervous expression.  
RHF seemed hesitant at first before shrugging. “I don’t mind.” He said and straightened from the bed. He swished his tail and leaned over to plant a lingering kiss against KR’s lips, holding it there for a few seconds before pulling away. He turned away with minor reluctance and left the room, soon closing the door so the others knew he wouldn’t peek. KR took his notebook and pencil again and began to scribble in it quickly, then showed it off to the only other two in the room. “ _Are you sure it’s okay for me to see it? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable._ ” He said, a hint of concern flashing in his mahogany eyes.  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Just... keep your eyes on my back." Remus sighed and had to gather his courage before taking his shirt almost all the way off- leaving it partially on his arms as if to make it easier to throw it back on. The seam between his cybernetics and his skin- both on his right shoulder and the left side of his head- were fully visible, the nasty scarring around them standing out even against the various other scars that littered his body. There was more than one scar that came from a bullet, and one across his side that appeared to have originated from him barely dodging a stab. The bandages over his shoulder were expertly wrapped, tight enough to stay but loose enough not to be too uncomfortable. There was a patch of semi-fresh blood roughly in the center of the covered area, the rest of the bandages as pristine as if they'd just been put on. Remus stayed noticeably hunched over slightly, tense and uncertain. Reggie moved to gently take his boyfriend's hands into his own, pressing little kisses to both of them and looking into his eyes reassuringly.  
KR softened towards Remus but didn’t linger his gaze upon any particular scar. He didn’t want to stare long, after all. He quietly shifted closer and even glanced slightly away where he could see Remus’ shoulder in his vision but he didn’t stare at anything else- he was worried if he made Remus uncomfortable. He eyed the bandages briefly, taking notice of the blood, and then carefully began to unwrap the bandages. He was so gentle and wasn’t too slow so Remus didn’t have to be like this for any longer than he had to but not too fast where he was afraid he’d hurt the cyborg. KR fully unwrapped the bandages after a few moments and sat them aside, quietly observing the wound. The king grabbed the bottle of disinfectant and some gauze he had paired with the bandages, proceeding to lightly pat the disinfectant along the scuff mark. The gauze itself also began to clean up some of the blood along the outside of the wound.  
Remus let out a quiet noise of discomfort at the feeling of the disinfectant but he didn't flinch away, not daring to turn his head to watch KR work- not wanting to cause him to mess up and make this take longer. The scuff was rough but only bad enough to bleed in the spot that had opened, the skin red and irritated around it as if it had happened a few days ago. Reggie kept a tight grip on Remus' hands, watching KR like a hawk- though it seemed almost more like him wanting to learn how to do it than him not trusting KR with the task.  
KR’s expression flickered with concern but he kept working on cleaning the wound. He sat the now-bloodied gauze aside and took another one to clean the remaining bits of blood the first one had missed. He sat that one down too, with his eyes focusing on the shoulder so he did this correctly. He refused to let his eyes wander to the other scars as he reached over to grab one of the rolls of bandages he had brought. He pressed the end of it against the shoulder to line it up perfectly, having to slightly shift Remus’ arm so he could pull the bandages around. KR began to wrap Remus’s shoulder with the utmost intricacy and delicacy. He subconsciously perked when his hand just barely grazed over the scar over Remus’ pectoral but he didn’t question it or even hesitate. He just continued working without a word- not like he could say anything, really.  
Remus and Reggie both noticeably stiffened when KR's hand grazed over the scar, the two making eye contact momentarily before Reggie's gaze shifted to KR- almost daring him to do something about the scar he had felt. The nervousness and uncertainty that washed over Remus almost seemed to radiate off of him, his body stiffened and his gaze lowered as if fully preparing for an onslaught- verbal or otherwise.  
KR soon finished wrapping his shoulder where it was tight enough so it didn’t unravel but loose enough that it wasn’t uncomfortable. It seemed like he had done this plenty of other times. After observing the shoulder and his work to make sure it was fine, he nodded in contentment. KR soon reached for his notebook and quietly glanced down at it, allowing Remus to put on his shirt if he so wished. He began to scribble in it, pretending he didn’t notice Remus and Reggie both stiffening and seeming nervous. Soon, he flipped the notebook around and flashed a warm smile. “ _You’re quite brave for allowing me to do that! It was probably no easy feat. Thank you for trusting me. You look pretty good, too! Definitely a warrior. A strong one at that._ ” He complimented, settling down on the edge of the bed. He had the notebook facing them but he also had turned his back to them so Remus wouldn’t feel like he was staring when he covered his torso.  
Remus threw his shirt back on as soon as KR pulled away, smoothing it out and placing a hand over where the scar was for a few moments. He then shifted to be facing KR, scooting backwards until he was resting against the headboard. There was a gleam of nervousness and mistrust in his eye as he watched KR, though the written words softened him slightly and drew out his voice momentarily. "...Thank you." He mumbled as Reggie settled beside him, grabbing his boyfriend's hand and forcing himself to relax slightly.  
KR turned to face them and kept his warm smile. He began to scribble words into his notepad once again, even slightly sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in concentration. It seemed to take him a short while but he finally flipped his notepad over to show Remus and Reggie. “ _You’re both quite strong, honestly. I’m glad you two have each other, especially since you two are in another world. I could never fathom how that would feel. It’s heartwarming, to say the least, that you two can get through this together!_ ” There was a small doodle of stick figures with Remus’ hair style and Reggie’s hair style below the message, both of them holding hands. He had even doodled their mustaches onto the stick figures meant to be them and there was a tiny heart placed in between the two bodies. He seemed proud of himself.  
The two of them visibly relaxed when they read the message, Reggie letting out a tiny giggle at the doodle. "Thank you. We've been by each others' sides for two decades now- it's funny, really, that we've only just recently confessed." Remus sighed, leaning his head against Reggie's- his left pupil forming into a heart as he turned his attention almost fully to his lover. "That little doodle is cute." Reggie added, smiling warmly and cuddling into Remus' side.  
KR grinned and watched them with piqued interest. When he caught himself staring, he glanced down at his notebook to both write something and look away. He lifted the notepad up so they could read it. “ _It’s better late than never! I’m glad you two are happy with each other. And thank you! I like doodling little things._ ” He faintly chuckled and glanced away towards the door briefly. KR returned his gaze to the two of them and flipped to a clean page so he could write again, after making certain the duo had read his previous message. Once he finished, he flipped it around. “Anyways, I should probably get going and let you two rest. It’s been a long day for you two, I’d assume. I don’t want to be in your hair for too long!” He chuckled lightheartedly again.  
"It's been quite the long day, yeah. We should get some rest- Reggie's acting like he's about to pass out on me." Remus chuckled, giving his boyfriend's shoulder a pat- earning himself a mumble from the half-asleep man. "Thank you for all of this, again. Hopefully we'll be able to get out of your hair soon- and not have too big of an impact."  
KR snickered slightly- the sound quiet, breathy, and almost strained. He flipped to a previous page, tore it out, and did the same for two others. He held the three individual pages- two of which being the pages he used to compliment Remus and Reggie and then the first page being his ‘speech’ he had written before tending to Remus’ wound. He sat the pages in front of them and smiled, flipping to a fresh page that was still attached to his notepad. “ _In case you two need some friendly words!_ ” He said, gesturing towards the pages he had given them. He hopped off the bed casually and brushed himself off, adjusted his cape, and waved towards them. “ _Friendly words go a long way, don’t they?_ ” He wrote down, adding to what he had written a few moments ago.  
"...Indeed they do." Remus mumbled under his breath as he shifted to grab the papers, reading over them carefully under the guise of just checking what papers KR had ripped out. Reggie appeared to have drifted off to sleep against his boyfriend, cuddled up to the cyborg with a peaceful expression on his face as he breathed deeply and slowly. Remus waited until KR left the room to relax fully, putting the papers aside to lay him and Reggie down flat and pull the covers over them.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The kingdom was pretty quiet throughout the night, with the only activity outside being the bugs fluttering against light posts until the morning was close. KR and RHF had busied themselves since early this morning with paperwork, KR especially, until the late morning. KR had organized his royal guards to patrol the castle and have alerted them to the presence of guests in one of the room- no names had been given. And even now, KR had stopped by the cafeteria with RHF to grab plates of breakfast of sausages, eggs, and bacon for Remus and Reggie. RHF carries the plates so KR could sign during their discussion. “This is is all crazy.” RHF admitted with a lengthy sigh, keeping his voice down. “I’m not sure whether to trust them or not.” KR shrugged and smirked, signing to the fox hybrid. “ _Local F-U-R-R-Y gets protective over fellow king._ ” KR teased, earning one of RHF’s stares- it was more lighthearted towards KR. When they reached the room Remus and Reggie occupied, KR stepped forward and lightly knocked on the door’s surface. He took a step back once he knocked three times, quietly adjusting his cape and the collar of his shirt to hide his scar.  
It was a few moments before Remus answered the door, wearing fresh clothes- and appearing as if he hadn't slept. His hair was down, coming just past his shoulder, and his mustache was even messier than it had already been, but he looked wide awake. "Good morning. Reggie's finishing up in the bathroom, he should be out in just a few minutes." He stepped aside to let KR and RHF into the room, seeming slightly on-edge and glancing towards the bathroom door almost nervously.  
KR glanced towards Remus’ expression, seeming mildly concerned. He didn’t question it and strolled into the room gladly. He glanced towards the bathroom, seeming thoughtful. He glanced back at his husband and gestured to Remus, signing something quickly to RHF. RHF nodded slightly after he strode into the room with lengthy strides, still carrying the two plates of breakfast in either hand. “KR and I brought you some breakfast for today. It isn’t much, but we hope it’ll suffice.” RHF said, holding out the plates for Remus to observe.  
Remus inspected the plates thoroughly, his left eye getting slightly brighter, before nodding and taking them. "Thank you. I'll make sure Reggie eats his, when he gets out. I assume the two of you didn't just stop by to bring us food- you're kings, there's no way you're not busy out of your mind." He set one of the plates down on the nightstand and sat down on the bed with the other, taking a bite once he finished speaking- his gaze flicking between KR and RHF expectantly.  
“KR was up early this morning to organize everything so he didn’t have to worry about matters in the midday.” RHF explained, glancing down at KR briefly. “He wanted to offer you two a tour around the place since you’ll be staying here for at least a few days.” “ _We can even take you down to the stables so you can get used to the rides for when we depart! I have a personal steed named Larisa. She’d love to meet you two._ ” KR had written in the notebook he pulled out, having flipped it over as well.  
"Hm. Horses, I assume? That... might not work out too well. I can't imagine I'd be very good on horse's back- I'm essentially half-metal. It's worth a shot, though- and I'd love to meet Larisa, as well. Thank you, for offering a tour. I'm sure it'll help." A thoughtful expression came to his face as he took another bite of his breakfast, seeming like he was in no way interested in the food but forcing himself to eat regardless.  
“ _Larisa will probably be our ride. She’s hard to scare so I don’t think the sound of any kind of metal will scare her! If need-be, we can also bring a carriage._ ” KR wrote in his notepad. There was a small smiley face that he doodled in the notepad after the message. RHF leaned against the nearest wall with his back pressed against it. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched them, listening closely with perked ears to catch every word that was spoken. From where he stood, he could see the words KR wrote and understand both sides of the conversation. Larisa had been sick as of late, RHF knew, but she was probably doing better if KR had suggested her as their ride. Or he had another plan.  
"I was more refering to me being too heavy for her, or my legs hurting her. I bent a metal chair up very badly with my legs alone in panic, I don't want to hurt her if I start feeling like I'm going to fall off." He pointed out, the tiniest bit of amusement flickering across his face at the memory of what had happened with the chair. Any further speech of his was cut off when Reggie emerged from the bathroom with a very disappointed, almost pouty expression on his face- though he was quick to throw up a smile when he saw KR and RHF standing there. "Oh! Hello, KR, RHF! I'm sorry for taking so long- I was trying my best to fix my mustache. It... didn't work, as you can probably tell." He gave a small laugh as he moved to sit beside Remus, motioning to his own face- where, indeed, his damp, messy, and generally pitiful mustache resided.  
KR happily waved towards Reggie and giggled slightly. He scribbled down onto his notepad when RHF spoke up, giving KR some time to write. “Greetings. And my apologies for your droopy ‘stache.” He smirked in amusement. KR snickered from his spot beside RHF, mildly distracted by RHF’s comment. When he remembered he was writing, he quickly began to continue, seemingly doodling something as well. After a moment, KR turned the notepad around to them. “ _Well, you won’t have to worry about being too heavy! She can handle immense amounts of weight. It might be a little uncomfortable, but that’s why we’re packing camping supplies as well to make a camp on the way there. Larisa can make the journey relatively quickly but with more than just RHF and myself, she’ll need rest and won’t be nearly as fast._ ” “How the fuck do you write so quickly sometimes?” RHF murmured after a moment, quirking an eyebrow at him. “ _S-E-C-R-E-T_ ” KR finger-spelled rather smugly.  
A look of half-mock offense came to Reggie's face and he put a hand to his mustache for a few moments before letting out a laugh and lowering it. Remus chuckled at this and set his half-eaten plate aside to shift to be sitting behind Reggie, beginning to gently work his fingers through the knotted, fluffy locks. Reggie visibly relaxed, a happy smile coming to his face at the sensation- though he made sure not to completely melt into the touch. "I missed part of this discussion, didn't I?" Reggie questioned after a few moments, his voice noticeably softer and more filled with happiness than before.  
“Ah, yeah. We were thinking of taking you two on a tour today since you’ll be here for a little while. We can even go down to the stables to meet our ride. She’s a horse named Larisa.” RHF briefly explained so KR didn’t have to. “We’ll need to camp so Larisa can rest, along with ourselves. There’s more luggage she’ll have to carry than normally.” KR nodded in confirmation and watched the two on the bed, his mahogany eyes softening. He flipped through his notepad to a fresh page and wrote words pristinely onto the paper. “ _I could also try and find some hair products for you two, if you wish._ ” He offered after flipping the notepad to them.  
Reggie nodded along calmly as RHF spoke, only to perk up and fill with barely-contained excitement at the mention of hair products. "Remus doesn't use any, but please, god, do I need some." Remus burst into laughter from beside him, Reggie himself quickly following suit. They somewhat leaned against each other, laughing at not only Reggie's initial reaction, but also at each other's laughter. It was like an echoed reaction until both of them were gasping for air, Reggie having long fallen onto his back and Remus hunched over slightly while clutching his side.  
RHF snorted loudly at their laughter. He held back his own since he didn’t necessarily enjoy laughing in front of others, despite how happy the duo appeared. KR, however, was full-on cackling and coughing on occasion. He quickly assured RHF he was alright, just caught off-guard, so RHF dropped the subject. RHF then quirked an eyebrow at the two and just merely shrugged. “If it means anything, I’d say you look pretty fine without hair products.” He admitted rather easily, even catching himself off-guard from the statement. He glanced away towards KR to make it seem like he was focusing on the other king but, in reality, he was embarrassed that he easily complimented Reggie.  
"You don't have to lie to me, RHF, I know I look like a fucking disaster. Products are the only way I've figured out how to tame my hair, because it's ugly otherwise, I know." Reggie pushed himself into a sitting position, a half-smile remaining on his face and his expression saying that he believed his own words. Remus' small smile fell into a frown and he ran a hand over the top of Reggie's head, smoothing down a few stray strands of fluffy brown hair. "You look wonderful without products, Reggie. You always do." He assured, though Reggie waved his words off and kept his focus on RHF and KR. "When are we leaving? A set time, or just kind of whenever?"  
RHF twitched his ears slightly and mumbled a quiet “I wasn’t lying” but was half-wishing they didn’t hear him. KR met his gaze briefly until RHF turned to face the duo. “There isn’t necessarily a set time. It revolves around you two and if you both are up to traveling the distance.” “ _Don’t want to push you two beyond any limits._ ” KR said, having written on his notepad. He was snickering slightly even after they had stopped laughing.  
If either of them picked up on the mumbled words, they gave no hint that they had, Remus still working on catching his breath fully as Reggie began speaking. "...We've traveled plenty over the past few months, a little more won't kill us." He stated with a shrug, fiddling with the ring on his right finger slightly. "Though, I'm kind of worried about the whole horseback thing- I've never ridden a horse before. Or, really, seen one, outside of pictures."  
KR perked at that and quickly began to write in his notepad. RHF leaned over to glance over at what he was writing, just because KR seemed focused on it quite a bit. Soon enough, KR flipped the notepad over and grinned broadly. “ _I’m a master horseback rider! I can show you two the ropes- no pun intended. We can meet Larisa and the other horses so you can familiarize yourself with them all before we go on our travels._ ” RHF smirked, seemingly proud of KR. He then faced the other two with a slight tilt of his head. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?” He questioned. At first, a hint of concern flickered into his eyes but it disappeared as quickly as it came once he put up his guard.  
"We should be fine. So long as it doesn't hurt Reggie, and there's no chance of me getting shocked, I'll be fine." Remus spoke finally, still rubbing his side with a ghost of a smile on his face. "Hey, I know I'm weak, but I'm not that weak that I can't handle a bit of travel. I'll be fine, even if it hurts a little. I've been in worse pain the past few months." Reggie protested with a tiny laugh, pushing Remus' arm slightly and then turning to smile at KR and RHF. "We can leave whenever is best for the two of you."  
KR snickered slightly at that with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lip. He glanced towards RHF briefly, nodded slightly to himself, and then began to write. He spun the notepad around soon after finishing. “ _We can leave tomorrow, if you wish! Today, RHF and I can pack everything we’ll need later. For most of today, we can show you around and allow you to meet Larisa and the other horses._ ” He offered, flashing a bright smile. RHF nodded slightly in agreement and twitched his ears slightly. He didn’t have to see KR’s expression to know his husband was concerned for Remus and Reggie despite the joking.  
"That should work nicely, yeah!" Reggie nodded as he spoke, putting up a smile on his face. "You should eat, Reggie." Remus mumbled, reaching to grab the plate he had set on the night stand and pass it to Reggie. "I'm not very hungry, but thank you." Reggie dipped his head to his boyfriend as he took the plate and began eating, falling silent to do so. "Travel shouldn't be too hard on us, especially as easy as horseback with frequent stops."  
“Alright. You two might need to cover up if we’re going out in the public for.. certain reasons.” RHF said, subtly gesturing towards Remus’ cybernetics and then Reggie for his similar appearance to KR. “I have some extra cloaks that you two can borrow, if you wish.” KR grinned happily when he wrote in his notepad, inevitably flipping it around for them. _“We have this large pond! I can’t wait to show you it. It’s so pretty. It’s my favorite spot besides the stables!_ ”  
"That'd probably be for the best, yeah. We don't need any trouble - we've had plenty of that in our own world." Remus sighed heavily and shook his head, pausing for a few moments to read what KR had written before continuing to speak. "The pond sounds wonderful, I can't wait to see it. Reggie needs to eat, and we both need cloaks, but then we should be good to go- unless there's something else the two of you need to do, of course."  
KR shook his head and glanced up at RHF, his eyes softening. He lifted a hand and briefly fidgeted with the Pansexual pin he had clipped along the clothing over his left pectoral. He signed something quick to RHF, a simple gesture, and watched as RHF nodded in understanding. “I’ll go grab the cloaks in the meantime.” RHF stated, offering a halfhearted wave when he turned on his heels. With a swish of his cloak, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. KR watched where his husband disappeared and subconsciously fidgeted with his ring for a few brief moments. Finally, he turned to face Remus and Reggie, a bright smile on his face. He wrote in his notepad rather quickly and flipped it around. “ _May I ask you two questions to get to know you better? You do not have to answer if you don’t want to._ ”  
"Sure, give it a shot. We've put up with the askers and anons for a few months, it's not like we aren't used to it. Speaking of which, I wonder if they followed...?" Remus trailed off into thought, tilting his head to the side slightly and keeping his eyes on KR. Reggie swallowed his mouthful of food before adding his own words. "I don't mind, either. Can't promise an answer, but..."  
KR nodded and effortlessly pulled up a chair from a nearby desk to sit by the bedside, facing them but keeping a slight distance so he didn’t crowd them. He scribbled onto his page and flipped it over, a warm smile on his face. “ _I’m not sure if the askers or anons followed, but since we’re on that topic, what are the askers like for you?_ ” He asked with a slight tilt of his head, curiosity beaming in his expression.  
The both stiffened up slightly- remembering one of their more recent, most unpleasant interactions with the askers and anons. Remus scowled and crossed his arms, while Reggie threw up a 'this is fine' smile. "Depends, really. Some of them have been nothing but kind, whilst others..." Reggie couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, even his fake, forced smile falling into a heavy frown. "...are complete and utter bastards who should rot in hell." Remus finished, his voice packed full of venom and hatred- with hurt hidden underneath. Reggie gave him a concerned look and reached to pat his boyfriend's shoulder, but Remus merely continued glaring at the wall.  
KR frowned and glanced away towards the window, as though he was looking at something in particular. He stared at it for an awkward few moments and sighed softly. He faced the other two again and nodded, knowing how rude the askers and anons could be. He flipped his notepad around when he had written in it, his eyes softened. “My apologies for what they have done to you. You two don’t deserve that. It’s horrible. RHF and I have dealt with some anons who weren’t the best.” He admitted, awkwardly glancing towards the door that RHF had used to exit the room.  
"There's nothing to apologize for- you two didn't even know we existed, there was no way you could have influenced the anons. All of the askers have been kind, or at the very least, not harmful. There's been some... odd ones." Reggie hurried to explain, once more mustering up a tiny smile. "I hope the anons didn't do anything too bad to the two of you- you both seem very kind and just."  
KR’s expression darkened in the slightest as he glanced towards the window again. The barn wasn’t able to be seen from where they were located but it was in the general direction nonetheless. He subconsciously rubbed his throat for a brief moment, trailing his thumb slightly over the maimed scar that was hidden beneath his puffed out collar of his multiple layers of clothing. He returned his attention to them and sighed. “ _Long story short, some anons decided to be... rude, to put it nicely. It ended up with RHF killing one of them and almost a few others. It was... horrible. I enjoy their company but, when moments like that happen, it makes me wonder ‘why?’ It’s alright now, though._ ” He admitted in his notebook, frowning. His gaze looked solemn for a brief moment before he quickly hid that emotion and replaced it with a smile to assure them that everything was fine.  
"They're kill-able here, too? That's a relief." Reggie gave a slight laugh, looking down momentarily and moving a hand to rub one of his arms almost nervously. "I killed one of them- at least, I think I did. They almost... dissolved, I guess I'd describe it. They did something very bad to Ri- Remus, and it was unforgivable. I couldn't tell if they were gone for good, but no one attempted it again."  
“ _Good on you for protecting Remus. I almost feel like I should be proud._ ” KR lightheartedly joked, offering Reggie an amused smirk. He turned the notepad around after he was certain they had read the message, then added onto the message. When he broke the lead of his pencil, he just casually sat it aside and pulled out a pencil from a hidden pocket. When he finished, he turned it around to the other two. “ _I’m not sure if RHF killed that anon for good, but he definitely scared practically everyone. That anon dissolved into dust._ ” He explained, not going into much detail about it. He didn’t know if he was even capable of giving details of that horrid event.  
"Well, hopefully they'll understand the warning and not try to pull whatever they did to earn that again." Remus said his words a little more firmly than he intended to, letting out a soft sigh afterwards to try and get across that he wasn't angry at anyone currently present. "I wonder, if they show back up, if they'll be the same for your world, or changed because we're here?" Reggie mused aloud, trying to shift the topic off of bad experiences with anons- him squeezing his upper arm slightly as he spoke.  
“ _Maybe a combination of both of our worlds’ askers?_ ” KR offered the possibility with a curious tilt of his head, liking the change of topic. KR could hardly get the horrible screams out of his mind of a woman who had been nothing but sweet, only to be traumatized and broken down by his very husband. He couldn’t ever hate RHF- in fact, he couldn’t really hate anyone- but those screams were mortifying. Distracting himself from the memories, he eyed Reggie for a moment, observing how he squeezed his arm. a hint of concern filtered into the king’s expression but his gaze softened soon after.  
"Possibly. I think I remember them mentioning that they could go across worlds- I wonder if any of them have been in both of our worlds? If they have, they've never mentioned anything that could refer to you two- at least, as far as I can tell." Reggie offered, returning to rubbing his arm instead of squeezing it. "...I liked whoever kept giving me flowers. I couldn't put names to faces, but they were nice." Remus added after a reluctant few moments, letting his shoulders relax and his voice soften slightly.  
KR perked towards the mention of flowers and smiled brightly at that. He began to scribble down words onto a fresh sheet of paper once he flipped to one. “ _There were two who kept giving RHF and myself flowers. Angie was one and then there was Nev, with sunflowers. Angie always gave many flowers with many different meanings. Nev typically has a thing for sunflowers._ ” He wrote and had doodled a small sunflower after the message. He has a large smile on his face.  
"Nev's the one who was giving you flowers, along with an anon or two. I think I still have that pearl one of them put on your head- I think they were trying to see if you'd bite it." Reggie explained, earning a rather concerned look from Remus. "I probably would have swallowed it. Were they intending on trying to kill me?"  
“ _Oh, that’s one thing you and RHF have in common. You two like to bite things! Well, RHF likes squeaky toys. I think I still have the one that Squeak Anon gave us. RHF loves that thing- he won’t admit it, though._ ” KR giggled, an amused look flashing over his face. Although, he quickly added onto his message and turned his notepad around. “But I’m also concerned for the fact they gave you a pearl of all things.”  
"Nev gave him a chew stim toy, one of the anons gave him a bouncy ball, another gave him a pretzel. A bunch of anons, and an asker or two, gave him flowers." Reggie tilted his head back slightly as he listed, counting each item with his fingers. Remus snorted in amusement and shook his head, though a light, embarrassed flush darkened his cheek. "It was a mess. I can only partially remember it, and it's almost foggy, but from what I do remember, it was a mess."  
KR cackled breathily, only to result in him bringing a fist to his mouth when he began to cough. The coughing fit didn’t last too long so he was soon able to write, only having to clear his throat on occasion. “ _That sounds like chaos and I kind of wish I was able to witness it. Flowers are also a lovely gift. My favorite flower is a Blue Lilac! RHF’s is a Gladiolus. What are your favorite flowers?_ ” He asked, his head tilted slightly in innocent curiosity. He shifted in his seat slightly so that his clothing didn’t snag on the chair.  
Reggie fell into thought, whilst Remus answered almost immediately. "Trust me, it was chaos- and that's coming from someone who was only able to understand half of it. Heliotropes are my favorite flower by far. Purple ones, especially. They've always been my favorite." Reggie looked over as the cyborg spoke, seemingly taking note of the information to use for later. "...Mine are red Begonias. They're beautiful. You and RHF have good tastes in flowers as well."  
KR seemed to write something on the same page but, for once, didn’t show the information he had written. He stared at what he wrote, his eyes showing a splash of concern that flickered across his countenance as well. He subtly glanced up at Reggie before returning his gaze to his notepad and not questioning it. Instead, he flipped to the next page and wrote something completely different. “ _Very lovely flowers for you two, and thank you! I was thinking of organizing the making of a garden near the pond in my kingdom. I feel like Heliotropes and Begonias would make a lovely edition to it._ ” He stated, offering a bright smile.  
"I'm sure they would. They're both very beautiful flowers." Reggie nodded as he spoke, setting his finished plate aside after a moment's hesitation as if not knowing what to do with it. "...I hope we can get back soon. Mum's gonna be worried about us suddenly disappearing- not to mention that general and the bastard will probably be tearing the base apart looking for us." Remus grumbled the last part, an unamused look flashing across his face as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
“ _Mum?_ ” KR simply questioned with a tilt of his head. He looked genuinely interested and intrigued, with his eyes flashing curiously. Before KR could question it further, he perked towards the door opening to reveal RHF. “Are we talking about Dicktrov?” The fox hybrid asked while he was carrying multiple differently-sized cloaks for their two guests since he didn’t necessarily know their sizes or what they preferred. “If not, then that’s a disappointment. I like talking about my mutual hatred for Dicktrov.” KR snorted loudly despite himself, sparking a small coughing fit that he quickly muffled with his sleeve. He composed himself for the most part but was still giggling- at least he wasn’t coughing anymore.  
Reggie and Remus both burst into laughter, once more leaning against each other. Reggie's turned into a wheeze after a few moments, then into a small coughing fit, but he was quick to catch his breath- wiping a stray tear from his eye. "Add Dicktrov to the list of insults- that's the second best one so far, right below Stickbitch and tied with Shitave." Reggie giggled, a smile on his face as Remus continued laughing and gasping for breath beside him.  
“Pisstrov also works.” RHF matter-of-factly pointed out, smirking proudly towards his insults. He sat the cloaks beside Reggie and Remus into a small, nearly-folded pile. “I cycle between the two.” KR cackled again towards the insults, although what caught his attention was the insult of ‘Shitave’. He didn’t question it but it sounded vaguely familiar- so much so that it practically caused his chest to ache. He didn’t like that feeling.  
The two once more burst into laughter, though Reggie was quicker to fall into a mild coughing fit this time. He lightly hit his chest with the side of his fist as he coughed, though the fit quickly passed. "Pisstrov- that one's good as well. We're definitely gonna have to use those, when we get back to our world. See how pissed it'll make him." Reggie chuckled as Remus leaned against him, still laughing even as he gasped for breath.  
RHF chuckled slightly, holding back any sort of outburst of laughter. Pride beamed in his expression towards the nicknames he had created and the praise, though it quickly passed. He waited for a few moments, observing Remus and Reggie with an amused glimmer in his eyes. “Anyways, I can talk about well-deserved nicknames for Dicktrov but that’d be a waste of today. Beside you are some cloaks you can drape over yourself. Given the fact Remus has his cybernetics in the same general location as I do with my fur, the cloaks should easily cover them- if not better.” He explained, pulling his own hood over his head while flattening his ears. The hood covered his ears and the left side of his face in a side-swept fashion, draping over his frosty-blue eye and blue fur. He was noticeably wearing gloves to hide his one paw and gestured, with his human hand, towards the pile as well. “There’s gloves in there as well.” KR watched them with growing amusement, peacefully waiting. He adjusted his cape and stood up from his chair, returning it to its previous location so nobody accidentally tripped on it.  
Reggie nodded and stood, taking one of the cloaks and a set of gloves. He slipped the cloak on- struggling to adjust the too-large piece of apparel properly in a way that wouldn't obscure his view, but would still hide his face. Remus finally managed to catch his breath and stop laughing, a small half-smile still present on his face as he did the same. "...It still feels weird, not having that ring. I hated it, but still." He commented, drawing a snort from Reggie.  
KR curiously tilted his head at them at the mention of a ring. Before he could question it, RHF did so for him. “Ring?” The fox-hybrid asked with a slight twitch of his hidden ears. RHF adjusted his hood and turned to face the plates that they had eaten from. Taking a mental note to take those later and clean them, he nodded slightly to himself and refocused on the other duo.  
"Ring, yeah. An old diamond ring- it was my mother's. It was the only good thing that came from her." Remus tried to keep his voice flat, but a lifetime's worth of venom and hurt was packed behind his words, his fists clenching and eyes narrowing just at the thought of his mother. Reggie winced and reached a hand out to take one of Remus', squeezing the hand gently and earning himself a soft glance.  
RHF twitched his ears beneath his hood towards Remus’ reaction and his gaze softened briefly. He glanced towards KR who, as expected, was searching Remus’ face intently. The fox hybrid sighed softly. “I see...” He said with quiet uncertainty. “I never really knew my mother.” He admitted with a slight shrug, watching Remus quietly. “But let’s not focus on the sad aspects of this. We have a day ahead of us to have- hopefully- a good time.” KR nodded slightly in agreement, his eyes remaining softened towards Remus in gentle sympathy.  
"I would've rather had no mother than the one I was stuck with." He muttered under his breath, giving Reggie's hand a gentle squeeze and looking off to the side. "I'm sure it'll be a good time! We should probably go soon, though- if you two are ready, that is. It already seems to be near noon, there's probably only a few hours of daylight left." Reggie suggested, a fake smile on his face as he tried his best to defuse the situation.  
“Oh yes, of course.” RHF nodded to Reggie, although glanced towards Remus. His ears had barely caught onto some of the muttered words, albeit he didn’t push him on the subject. After adjusting his glove, he made his way to the door and opened it for them. He watched KR fidget with the pin on his clothing before the other king smiled softly at Remus and Reggie, making his way out of the room.  
The two moved to follow, Remus falling just behind Reggie as they stepped out of the room. Reggie plastered a fake smile on his face as soon as he was out of the room, Remus reaching up to adjust the cloak until his left eye was completely hidden. "...Having all my cybernetics covered like this is... unsettling." Remus admitted quietly, a slight frown on his face as he did so.  
“You get used to it.” RHF shrugged slightly, offering Remus a friendly smirk. “I apologize for the inconvenience, though. I just don’t think you’d want people to stare at you or for you to draw much attention to yourself. On the plus side, once we get into the stables, you won’t have to worry about covering up your cybernetics.” KR nodded in agreement before glancing towards Reggie. He eyed the other man’s fake smile before quietly reaching for his notebook. He didn’t question the fake smile, instead writing down something completely different. He showed the notepad to Reggie, mustering up a bright smile. “ _Do you want to see the pond first?_ ”  
"It's alright- I fully understand. I get enough looks in my world, where cybernetics are rare but mostly heard of- can't imagine the reactions I'd get here, where it seems like they'd be impossible. I just usually keep at least a part uncovered- you never know when you'll need to fight for your life, when you're in the Toppats. Were in the Toppats." Remus fell silent, a troubled look coming to the half of his face that was visible. Reggie kept up his fake smile that didn't reach his eyes, even as he answered KR's question. "Sure! The pond sounds lovely, I'm sure it'll be beautiful."  
RHF glanced towards Remus for a moment, unsure of what to say or do at first. He was thoughtful for a moment and sighed softly. “I know it doesn’t mean much but, while you’re here, uh.. KR and I are there if you.. need us or something. Yeah.” He cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly not used to showing anyone affection- other than KR, of course. He readjusted his cloak so that his tail was more hidden. “If you’re anything like me, then uh... you wouldn’t want me to pat you on the shoulder for.. reassurance? So hopefully those words are.. enough. Yeah.” Again, he cleared his throat. KR blinked towards RHF as though surprised, but that soon shifted into beaming pride.  
Remus gave RHF a blank stare for a few long moments before a small but genuine smile came to his face, mixed emotions swirling in his visible eye as he turned his head to the side and reached for one of Reggie's hands. Reggie took the hand and squeezed it slightly, his fake smile reaching his eyes just a little.  
RHF twitched his ears as they walked through the corridor, even offering Remus the slightest of smiles. On occasion, guards patrolling would pass them without as much as a second glance. Sometimes, they’d stare specifically at RHF with his signature cloak with golden swirls and light turquoise-green color, while others looked away distastefully. RHF didn’t seem to mind it as much, even when he led the others out of the castle where people scurried here and there busily. KR had sped up his walking to be by RHF’s side, a bright smile on his face as he tucked his notepad into his pocket. The kingdom grounds were quite lively, with trimmed hedges and flowers decorating the perimeter. During their quiet walk, they walked under one of the marble arches but it wasn’t peaceful for long. RHF’s ears perked up towards some of the people that looked their way and he made direct eye contact with them, almost daringly. His hidden fur bristled slightly but soon puffed out a bit more towards one of the people in particular. A young man, taller than KR, was leaning against one of the arches the group had walked under, his eyes sparking with misplaced confidence. “Hey, King Copperass. Are you tired of your fucking freak of a pet yet?” He asked, keeping a minor distance from them so he had enough of a chance to escape if need-be. KR winced towards the nicknames but quickly grabbed onto RHF’s gloved paw when the hybrid abruptly spun around to face the person. RHF growled under his breath some vulgar choice words, none of which were able to be understood completely but it was clear they were quite colorful. KR kept RHF in place, holding him steady. He lightly tugged on the paw to keep RHF walking forward, although RHF clearly was reluctant to obey.  
Remus and Reggie both jumped when the heard the young man's words, looking between each other as if wondering if they'd heard the same thing. Reggie cleared his throat before letting go of Remus' hand and stepping forwards, standing straight and squaring his shoulders- dipping back into the skill of projecting confidence and leadership, from when he had been leader. "That's King Copperbottom, for your information." His voice was firm, a hint of annoyance in it as he tilted his head back slightly, his expression holding only a slight sense of disinterest.  
The citizen stared at Reggie for a lengthy moment, roving his eyes over him skeptically. “And who are you supposed to be? A hero? I could certainly make you a fallen hero instead. Is that what you want?” KR swallowed roughly and held RHF’s hand, however was caught off-guard when RHF yanked his hand free from KR’s grip. RHF stepped beside Reggie and made direct eye contact with the smug-faced citizen, his eyes sharpening. “Not while we’re here. Back off if you know what’s good for you.” He growled, uncaring about formalities. “Oh, it seems the family furry pet has a new owner. Are you going to abandon King Copperass over there for this twink?” The citizen asked, straightening his posture and eyeing the duo. He watched how RHF bristled with burning hatred and anger but was trying everything in his power to not lunge for this man’s throat.  
"Oh, trust me, I'm much more of a villain. My body count well into the thousands says that much. If you have even the tiniest little sliver of a brain in that disgusting head of yours, you'd back off and learn some respect. There's a reason he's king and you aren't, you pathetic mongrel." Reggie's voice took on a commanding tone and his expression darkened, his eyes just daring for the young man before him to keep going. Remus moved to stand at KR's side, crossing his arms and smirking slightly as he watched the exchange go down.  
KR watched in awe towards Reggie, his expression a mixture of emotions that possibly consisted of being awestruck, dumbfounded, impressed, and everything in between. He swallowed roughly which caused a minor cough to slip from his mouth. He glanced up at Remus and then towards Reggie again, having to blink rapidly to not have his mouth hang open in shock. The young man eyed Reggie at first, taken aback by his commanding tone and dark expression. He slowly backed away and growled. “You’d probably make a better leader than mute-ass over there.” He kept backing away until he was a distance apart from them, where he felt it safe to turn his back to them and else. RHF watched the disrespectful man leave and then blinked down at Reggie, slowly nodding. “That was impressive.” He complimented him, offering a slight, genuine smile. When he realized he had complimented Reggie so easily- yet again- he cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly.  
Reggie kept the act up until the man was out of sight before seeming to almost wilt, letting out a nervous laugh. "I hate giving empty threats like that. I'd practically be dead if he were to have decided to pick a fight. That body count thing's a technicality, by the way. Indirect action, yaknow? The blood of the entire clan is on my hands, even if some people insist otherwise." He gave a small shrug, that fake smile returning as he moved to be by Remus' side with his gaze on the ground. A deep frown came to Remus' face and he reached an arm out to pull Reggie into a side-hug, the smaller of the two leaning into the larger.  
RHF blinked slightly towards Reggie, awkwardness creeping into his expression. He internally scolded himself for not having said anything else more than just “that was impressive”. He probably should’ve showed his gratitude more with a “thank you” for crying out loud! RHF sighed and slowly moved closer to them, clearing his throat. “If that man picked a fight, I’d make sure he didn’t get close to ya.” He managed to murmur to Reggie, uncertainty crossing his expression for he wasn’t used to verbally expressing positive remarks. “You were strong, standing up for KR like that.” KR was still gawking at Reggie by the time the issue was resolved. He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at where the man had disappeared. He was completely baffled and dumbfounded, clearly impressed. KR soon composed himself and faced Reggie and Remus, walking up to them both and rapidly signing ‘thank you’ over and over. However, when he remembered they didn’t know too much sign, he hurried to grab his notepad from his pocket and fumbled with it slightly. He wrote out words on the page and turned the notepad around. “ _Thank you! You were amazing, Reggie. I can’t put how grateful I am into words for you. You didn’t have to do that!_ ”  
"Of course I had to. They had no right to treat you that way- you're their leader- but otherwise it would've either gone to violence or been ignored. They can't learn their lesson if they're dead. Besides, you're a version of me- one who still has power. Why wouldn't I defend you?" Reggie mustered an almost weak smile as he spoke, leaning into Remus as if mustering that confidence also brought forth bittersweet memories. "...I'll talk more about it when we're in a more private area."  
KR nodded quickly and glanced towards the other people around them. The other civilians were watching with skepticism in their expressions and disgust, but KR didn’t mind. He gestured for Reggie and Remus to follow him as he began down the path. He was writing as he walked with RHF trailing behind them all, eyeing the civilians. KR broke the tip of his pencil again and merely shoved it into a pocket, only to flawlessly grab another one- he certainly had done this plenty of times before. He then showed his notepad to Reggie, his eyes soft. “ _You’re too nice to me, Reggie. You possibly put yourself in danger to help me, even though we had basically just met. You’re honestly incredible._ ” He gently complimented.  
Remus and Reggie followed KR, though the latter stopped in his tracks when he read the words. Tears sprung into his eyes and he lifted a hand to cover the wide, genuine smile that formed on his face. "Thank you, KR. It was no big deal, really, you don't have to thank me." He managed to get out in a voice just below normal volume, his words wavering slightly as he tried his best to gather himself. Remus looked between KR and Reggie, his expression thoughtful yet guarded as he did so.  
KR emitted a slight, worried squeak and observed Reggie’s face. He swallowed roughly, hoping those tears were happy ones, and offered a bright smile towards Reggie. He fumbled with his notepad again and began to write out his words quite quickly so they wouldn’t have to wait too long. He spun the notepad around when RHF slowed his paces to stay by KR’s side. “ _But I do! You deserve the ‘thank you’. My people don’t respect me at all. It’s nice when they eventually back off. Thanks for that._ ” KR had written, offering a smile towards Reggie. He didn’t even seem bothered by the words he had written. RHF, on the other hand, visibly frowned as he stared down at the notepad. He slightly lifted a hand to KR and hesitated when he glanced around at the civilians scattered here and there. He made a tiny sound and lowered his hand, shoving it into his cloak’s pocket.  
Reggie, for once, was left speechless, blinking away the happy tears that stung his eyes while continuing to cover his mouth. Remus gave the shorter man a light squeeze before beginning to slowly continue walking- Reggie moving his legs more on instinct than actually registering that he was walking. Whilst Reggie's expression radiated happiness, Remus' seemed to grow more closed off and unreadable as time passed, his expression becoming almost deadpan as he looked between his surroundings and the man under his arm.  
KR was beaming still, seeming incredibly happy. He held RHF’s hand as they walked, leading Remus and Reggie towards a place with trimmed hedges that aligned the perimeter of the pond. When they walked under the marble archway that led into the large clearing, the pond was visible, with its shimmering sapphire waters littered in lily pads and lily flowers. Ducks and geese swam idly in the water, occasionally bopping their head underneath the surface to eat. There were some benches scattered here and there as well, where people could sit peacefully. KR moved away from the group to gesture towards the peaceful-looking pond and grinned brightly, beginning to write in his notepad. “ _Welcome to the pond! I often come here. It’s very peaceful and not many people come to these grounds._ ” RHF was eyeing the ducks that swam in the pond, his eyes slightly sharpening towards them. He watched their every movement quite closely while KR spoke to Remus and Reggie.  
A look of pure awe came to Reggie's face and he drew away from Remus and took a few steps forwards, his eyes lit up with happiness and admiration as he took in the beautiful grounds. Remus chuckled at the sight and flashed KR a half-smile, amusement written on his face. "Well, don't think he's gonna be leaving here any time soon. That's his 'I am completely and utterly in love with what I'm seeing' face. It's been a while since I've seen it- I've missed it. Thanks for showing us this place. It's beautiful."  
KR chuckled breathily, a bright grin crossing his features. He nodded to Remus and fumbled slightly with his notepad to write out a response. “ _I’m glad he loves it! We can stay here for however long you want. There’s some trees that bear fruit here as well, if you want me to go pick some._ ” He offered, flashing another bright smile. He glanced towards RHF when the fox-hybrid quietly walked towards the edge of the pond and sat on one of the flat stones that aligned the edge. RHF shifted his cloak a bit so he could pull out his semi-large notebook he had tucked in his large inside-pocket. He pulled out his pen and began to quietly write within the notebook, his fox tail seemingly beginning to wag behind him. He wasn’t one for talking too much, unless needed.  
Remus nodded and watched RHF- though his gaze quickly shifted to Reggie when the shortest of the four began to stim, flapping his fists close to his chest as his face twisted into a wide smile. Love flooded Remus' face at the sight, his pupil turning into a heart and a warm smile coming to his face. "I love this place! It's beautiful!" Reggie exclaimed breathily when he stopped flapping his fists, swaying from side to side while giving KR a wide, beaming smile.  
KR made a tiny, happy squeak and couldn’t help but giggle harmlessly towards Reggie’s stimulatory behavior. He flapped his own hand at his side- the one not holding the notepad, but ended up throwing his pencil so his own stim was cut short. He squeaked again and hurried towards his pencil to pick it up again, then shifted back towards Reggie and Remus with a lopsided grin. He tucked the pencil into his pocket so he could flap his hand beside himself again, clearly happy that Reggie was happy. RHF looked up from his spot by the pond towards Reggie and KR, his gaze softening slightly. He flicked his ear beneath his hood and then gazed down at the diary he was writing in. He murmured to himself some of the things he wrote. “Stims.. cute. Sweet... harmless.” He mumbled, a light smile tugging at the corners of his lip. “For.. both.” KR lightly grabbed Reggie’s hand, although was super soft about it so that Reggie could pull away if he wanted to. He tugged on his hand and started to guide him closer to the pond and a bit closer to RHF.  
Reggie gladly let KR take his hand and guide him closer to the water, giggling gleefully and motioning for Remus to follow. The cyborg's smile grew wider as he followed the two, momentarily casting RHF a curious glance- with something unreadable appearing behind the innocent curiosity when he processed the mumbled words. However, he didn't say anything about them as he moved to take a seat right at the water's edge, looking out over the pond with that gentle smile still on his face. He propped his left elbow on his leg and rested his head on his organic hand while his cybernetic one began running over the blades of grass beside him, occasionally finding one long enough to carefully twirl between his mechanical fingers for a few moments before moving on. He seemed to be at peace, Reggie quieting down and letting a look of admiration come to his face as he watched.  
KR stood at the edge of the water and lifted his chin slightly to feel the wind through his hair. He smiled brightly and crouched down by the water to peer at the fish swimming this way and that. When he dipped his finger into the water, the fish were hardly perturbed by it and just kept idly swimming back and forth. Satisfied, KR sat down by the edge of the water and pulled out his pencil again so he could write in his notepad. He lifted the notepad towards Reggie with that same smile. “ _Want to see something funny?_ ” He asked, subtly glancing towards RHF. RHF had pulled his hood back so his ears were free. His tail kept wagging rhythmically behind him as he continued to write in his notebook, seemingly writing quite a bit. He mumbled words on occasion, never specifying names, but there were adjectives he proceeded to use. Sometimes he mumbled “strong” and “resilient”, along with “determined” and “grateful”- he hardly looked up from his notebook, though.  
Reggie looked between the two men sitting on the water's edge, choosing to sit closer to Remus while facing KR. "Sure? I feel like I should be scared." He joked with a quiet laugh, Remus joining in watching KR carefully- hazel bright and filled with happiness, green- and red- calm and thoughtful. Remus's cybernetic hand stopped twirling blades of grass between his fingers, simply resting against the ground as he leaned against Reggie slightly.  
KR couldn’t help but giggle and shifted slightly. He slipped his hand into a pocket and fidgeted with something until he was able to find what it was he was looking for. Satisfied, he pulled out a toy that looked like a duck, and carefully sat it down on the ground. “An asker gave us this. Watch what happens.” He wrote and then pressed his hand lightly on the toy. A long squeak followed and KR glanced towards RHF when the fox-hybrid perked almost immediately. RHF’s ears were pricked and standing at attention while he shifted slightly. His tail began to wag a bit quicker towards the familiar squeak despite his best attempts at stopping it. He glared towards KR and sat his notebook beside him so he wouldn’t ruin it. When KR squeaked the toy again and threw it a distance away, RHF tried to fight the urge to chase after it. Ultimately, when it landed and squeaked again, he couldn’t fight the urge and instead suddenly lunged from his spot to snatch the toy within mere moments. He had just been a blur of blue and fabric when he rolled over the grass, crushing the toy beneath his paw as though he had attacked an actual duck and had it by its neck. He slightly lifted his gaze towards KR when the mute king began to breathily laugh, only for him to cough from how much he was laughing. RHF loudly cursed to himself and slapped the toy away from him, albeit perked yet again when it squeaked.  
There were a few moments of silence before Reggie bursted into laughter, covering his mouth in a fruitless attempt at muffling the sound. He rocked backwards slightly, only for his laughter to cut into a scream when he fell into the lake. Remus immediately jumped to his feet and grabbed into one of the shorter man's flailing arms, trying to pull him up out of the water without hurting him. He cursed under his breath as he did so, though it was easily drowned out by Reggie's squealing and shouts for help.  
KR loudly squeaked and was quick to his feet to try and aid Remus, his eyes widening in shock and horror. Despite how quick he was, with a slight stumble, RHF was faster. RHF sprinted forward from where he had been with his squeaky toy and the necklace that dangled from his neck flailed slightly beneath his shirt. It glowed during his act of agility, only for a figure to materialize ahead of RHF. The blue-and-white fox sprinted forward, easily beating RHF in agility as her spiraled-blue markings dimly glowed. She leapt into the lake and into the water, her jaws quickly grabbing onto Reggie’s collar as if it was a puppy’s scruff, then aided Remus in lifting him out of the water. Her ears pinned back and her small paws dig into the side of the lake where rocky grooves acted as support for someone with small feet like herself. Because of the support, she was able to keep Reggie’s head above the water using his shirt collar, just enough for Remus to pull him out of the water entirely. Unfortunately, Lua was too small to throw Reggie out of the water herself.  
With Lua's help, Remus dragged Reggie onto the shore, immediately going onto his knees and making sure that he was alright. Reggie coughed and gasped for breath but pushed himself into a sitting position with little help, a look of surprise still plastered onto his face. After a few moments, he managed to catch his breath, assuring Remus that he was alright in a somewhat shaking voice. It wasn't long, however, before Lua caught his attention completely and he went still, eyeing the spirit fox uncertainly- as if not sure what to think of her.  
Lua quietly crawled out of the lake and shook herself out, allowing her fur to puff out once the water easily dissipated from her body. She lifted a small paw and licked it with her small tongue, then glanced towards Remus and Reggie. KR was quick to be by Reggie’s side, already taking off his cape and gently laid it over him to insulate heat. He emitted a quiet, audibly worried squeak and settled down beside him, quickly checking if he was alright. RHF was also quick to be by their side, voicing his concern. “Are you alright? That didn’t look pleasant...” He murmured quietly, slipping off his own cloak to make use of it as if it was a blanket for Reggie, aiding KR’s large cape in insulating heat. He crouched down and lightly stroked Lua’s head, murmuring softly to her. “Good girl.”  
"I'm alright, I think. Nothing hurts too bad but my throat, and where Remus grabbed me. That just... startled me." Reggie mumbled, his voice having a slight rasp to it as he reaches to rub the arm that Remus had grabbed with a mild wince. "That water's... very clear. It looks shallower than it actually is." He added after a moment, drawing the cloak further over his shoulders and shivering slightly. Remus sat down fully beside him and drew him into a hug, not minding that the smaller man was soaking wet. "Be careful next time. I'm lucky that... she-" He nodded towards Lua, having picked up on RHF calling her 'good girl'. "-grabbed you." The cyborg eyed the spirit uneasily, as if put off by the fact that she was very clearly not a living creature.  
Lua tilted her head towards Remus and Reggie, a calmness flickering in her eyes. She curled her tail around herself when she sat back on her haunches, watching the two with her intelligent gaze. “Lua.” RHF murmured after a moment, continuing to stroke the fox’s head. “That’s her name. She’s my partner. She doesn’t usually come out around strangers, though.” KR roved his eyes over Reggie in quiet concern, even though the other man said he was alright. He sighed quietly to himself and allowed his eyes to soften towards the two men. An unreadable expression crossed his features after a moment with a hint of thoughtfulness, however.  
"...She's very pretty." Reggie murmured quietly after a few moments, his shoulders relaxing and his eyes softening into a look of awe as he watched Lua. Remus made a quiet sound in the back of his throat, though it was unclear if it was in agreement or amusement- his unreadable expression giving no hints as he took Reggie's right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Reggie leaned into the cyborg, keeping his eyes on the spirit fox and watching the trails of smoke as if mesmerized by her beauty.  
Lua tilted her head towards Reggie, curiosity flickering in her magnificent sapphire eyes. Every time she moved, more mist smoked from her fur of blue and her underbelly of white that danced along her strands. To RHF’s surprise, the spirit slowly crept forward towards Reggie and Remus. She stopped walking each time either of them shifted in the slightest, although she eventually was beside the shorter of the two. Lua laid down beside Reggie’s leg and curled her fluffy tail around herself, her calming-but-cold head lightly pressing against Reggie’s knee to peer up at him. “Lua seems to like you. She’s also a little worried.” RHF said after a moment, although abruptly snorted. “She also called you a twink. How does she know that term? Your guess is as good as mine.” KR abruptly burst into laughter and was forced to try and muffle it with his hand. He snorted loudly and coughed slightly. RHF knew why the other king found it so funny. He knew personally.  
Reggie laughed slightly at this, covering his face while peering down and Lua with interest in his eyes. "I'm alright, Lua. I'm glad you like me- and you're not wrong about that, either. Thank you for helping me, Lua." He lifted a hand as if to pet the head resting on his knee but hesitated, lowering his hand once more. "Does she talk, uh... Tele... hm. I can't remember the word. Through your mind?" Remus questioned after a few moments, watching Lua with an unreadable expression.  
“Telepathy.” RHF answered simply and gestured to Lua. “Yes, she does. She can only do so with me, though.” He faintly chuckled, slightly swishing his tail behind himself. His fox ears twitched as he watched Reggie with Lua, his singular blue eye faintly glowing with magic. Lua glanced up at Reggie’s hand for a moment, her thoughts hard to determine. She finally nudged Reggie’s hand with her cold snout, demanding to be pet by the twink. The end of her tail rhythmically tapped against the ground as a small, excited squeak escaped her. KR was snickering in the background, still focused on the fact Lua said “twink” and Reggie had agreed with the terminology.  
Reggie gasped quietly when he felt Lua's fur against his skin, though he quickly smiled and began gently stroking her head. His other hand tapped the ground in a contained stim, as if he didn't want to risk spooking her away when he'd only just coaxed her forwards. Remus watched the interaction, his gaze softening slightly at the sight of the light tapping. He chuckled ever so slightly and shook his head before speaking. "I think that's probably higher up on the 'sudden near-death experience' list than the ice cream shop incident." The cyborg's words drew a snort of amusement from Reggie, along with a shake of his head. "The ice cream shop incident's higher, for sure."  
Lua wagged her tail happily behind her, although her small paws were pressed against the ground as though she was ready to sprint if needed. She enjoyed the soft strokes Reggie offered her- occasionally, a small happy squeak emitted from her. “I’m curious about the incident but also ice cream.” RHF admitted, glancing towards KR briefly when the other king shrugged slightly. “We both never had ice cream.”  
"...I don't think I've ever met someone who's never had ice cream unless they were allergic to it- and didn't find out the hard way." Remus commented idly, finally taking his gaze off of Lua to look between RHF and KR. "Someone crashed through the window we were sitting by. I broke my arm in two places." Reggie added in a very vague explanation, continuing to gentle pet the spirit fox and stim. “Never had the chance.” RHF admitted with a slight, awkward shrug. He glanced towards Reggie’s stimulatory behavior with a softened gaze. He then twitched his ears towards the vague description of the incident. “ _That sounds horrible. I’m glad you’re alright, though!_ ” KR admitted by writing on his notepad and flipping it over for the others to read. He was tapping his leg slightly.  
"Thank you. It was... kind of scary, if only because it happened so suddenly. We've been in worse situations, but most of them were expected, not out of the blue like that." Reggie explained, giving a small shrug and tucking the hand that had been stimming underneath his leg. Remus nodded as his shorter partner spoke, letting his gaze wander around the pond almost nervously- as if worried that something else was going to go wrong.  
“It’s always scary when you don’t expect things to happen a certain way.” KR wrote, emitting a soft sigh. He stared down at his notepad, appearing thoughtful, then began to scribble words into the pages. He flipped the notepad around once he finished. “ _Since we’ll probably stay here for a while, I’ll go get Larisa! She likes the fresh air and it’s much more roomy out here._ ” “Do you want me to go with you?” RHF asked with a flick of his ear and a slight tilt of his head. KR shook his head and hopped to his feet. “ _I’m good! Keep Remus and Reggie company. You can get to know each other better._ ” And at that, he quickly hurried towards the entrance archway. He scooped up the squeaky toy RHF had left and stuffed it into his cape. RHF blinked slowly and glanced down at Lua as the fox peered at him. ‘ _You worry about KR too much. He easily dominates you, but you worry regardless. Let the man show off his topness and go off on his own, you bottom._ ’ The spirit’s calm voice echoed within RHF’s mind, causing him to stifle his snort of surprise. RHF swallowed sharply and didn’t bother replying back to Lua.  
Reggie and Remus fell silent for a few long moments, the former leaning against the latter and letting his eyes close, before Remus finally spoke up. "He wants us to get to know each other. Ironic, since we are each other." His words drew a giggle from Reggie, who closed his eyes and moved the hand under his leg to grab one of Remus'. "Our worlds are really different, though. It's... weird. Kind of funny, too. I just hope the kingdom you rule over won't meet a similar fate to the clan we led." The two of them fell into somber silence once Reggie finished speaking, Remus looking off to the side with a grimace.  
RHF grew silent for a moment, not sure of what to say entirely. He eyed them for a moment and silently leaned back so his hands pressed against the grass. “Mmm.. it almost did, actually.” He managed to mutter, his eyes softening in the slightest towards the other two. “Our kingdom was at war with a separate kingdom. Long story short, we almost entirely lost everything in that. It was... a difficult time, to say the least.” The hybrid grimaced visibly, falling silent. He was not one for small talk so he quietly, albeit playfully, cursed KR for abandoning him.  
Remus and Reggie fell silent for a few long moments before Reggie cleared his throat awkwardly and began speaking. "I'm sorry for causing such commotion, and for dirtying your cloak and KR's cape. I shouldn't have been such an idiot- I should've realized how deep the water was and been more careful." He murmured, looking down at his lap to avoid the hybrid's gaze. "Nonsense, Reggie- you didn't intentionally almost drown, alright? I didn't realize how deep the water was either, so you're not an idiot for not realizing, okay?" Remus' voice was firm but filled with a gentle sort of worry as he wrapped his arms around the shorter man, pulling him into a tight hug despite the damp fabric around him.  
RHF twitched his ears slightly towards Reggie, almost seeming slightly surprised from the apology. He lightly tapped the tip of his tail against the ground and shrugged. “It’s just fabric. We can easily clean them up. You’re more important than something that can both be cleaned and even replaced, if necessary. I wouldn’t want you to drown or have chances of freezing from being damp.” The hybrid murmured. He glanced away towards the direction of the stables to see if KR was returning. When he wasn’t returning yet, RHF faced the couple sitting in front of him. Lua shifted when Remus hugged Reggie, quickly hopping to her feet to skitter away. She shook herself as smoke languidly trailed off of her strands of blur and white fur. Once she got her bearings, she proceeded to quietly lay a short distance away from Remus and Reggie once she realized it had just been a hug.  
Reggie watched Lua for a few moments, his expression one of guilt, before he closed his eyes and leaned into Remus with a frown on his face. Remus grimaced and moved a hand to the shorter man's back, rubbing it gently- albeit, having to hold him oddly to avoid applying pressure to his arms in a way that was a tad too obvious for either man's liking.  
RHF watched them for a lengthy moment, wanting to say something in regards to the peculiar way they were hugging. Deciding not to, he faced the entrance to the garden and perked his ears up towards the faint tapping of hooves. KR walked underneath the large arch and was soon visible to the rest of the group, his hand gently resting on the incredibly large Kirin who slowly walked beside him. Her fur was a magnificent black and white coloration, white patterns dotting her cost of black here and there. The way she walked was so pristine and gentle but her head was lowered slightly so she didn’t seem too intimidating. A large, sharp horn jutted out of the top of her head quite impressively and her fluffy tail swished behind her aimlessly. Her golden eyes focused on the newcomers but she didn’t seem too bothered- or surprised- by their presence. Lua was quick to her paws to greet Larisa, quickly darting to her side and hopping around her hooves. Larisa was careful not to accidentally step on the agile fox. “Ah. Looks like Larisa has arrived.” RHF stated with a small smirk  
Remus and Reggie both twisted around at the sound of hooves, surprise and awe filling their expressions- though the shorter of the two also showed some nervousness and fear towards a creature so large. Remus slowly withdrew from Reggie to get to his feet, trying to make himself seem as small and non-threatening as possible as he approached KR and the Kirin, as if not wanting to spook the magnificent creature before him. "...That's no horse." He joked with a quiet laugh, complete and utter awe written on his face. Reggie hung back, not getting to his feet- remaining tense on the ground, watching the Kirin almost nervously.  
KR cackled slightly to himself as he observed Remus and Reggie, a bright grin stretching across his features. He patted Larisa’s side, still holding his grin. Larisa blinked towards Remus and stepped closer towards the cyborg, fearless and daring but gentleness was plastered to her body movements. She took soft, quiet steps forward towards Remus and lowered her large head to him. Her nostrils flared as she made direct eye contact with him. RHF hung back with Reggie and watched Remus, KR, and Larisa. For a moment, his eyes softened until he glanced towards Reggie. “Are you alright?” He questioned with the slightest tilt of his head, his ears flopping to the side in the process.  
Remus froze when Larisa came closer, as if not wanting to even risk spooking her. "...She's beautiful. What... is she? No horse has those patterns or a horn- not on our world, at least." His voice was quiet but held an amused tone, him casting a glance KR's way but otherwise keeping his eyes on Larisa. Reggie looked at RHF long enough to muster an attempt at a reassuring smile before returning his gaze to the Kirin, seeming terrified by that horn being so close to Remus- but trying his hardest to hide it. "I'm okay." He all but whispered, clenching his fists to hide his trembling.  
KR dug through his pocket to pull out his notepad and a pencil, beginning to scribble down words. He flipped his notepad over when he finished, a bright grin on his face. “ _She’s a Kirin! She’s a special, mythical horse. Quite rare, too. Very powerful but she’s very, very gentle._ ” Larisa shook out her fur after eyeing Remus for a lengthy moment. She lightly nudged her muzzle against Remus’ organic cheek before taking a few, slow steps back. KR was watching how she walked with so much power and almost seemed glad that she wasn’t too shaky on her hooves. RHF watched Reggie closely and slightly frowned. “Larisa won’t hurt either of you, if you’re thinking about that. It’s normal to be nervous around her- many are. I’m not sure if that reassurance will help but uh.. yeah.” He awkwardly cleared his throat, unsure of how to comfort Reggie’s nerves.  
Remus gaped in pure awe when Larisa nudges his cheek, watching her with his right eye open wide- and the pupil of his left one formed into a small heart. "She's amazing. Can I... touch her? I don't want to spook her or anything- I'll only use my left hand." He promised, glancing between Larisa and KR. Reggie swallowed heavily and gave a small nod, trying to tuck his nerves away- drawing in deep breaths and slowly forcing his muscles to relax as if he had practice doing such a thing.  
“ _Of course! She loves any kind of affection._ ” KR wrote down, having flipped his notepad around. He watched gleefully towards Remus and Larisa, curiosity also apparent in his gaze. He watched how Remus’ left eye shifted into a small heart with intrigued the king, although he didn’t question it. It was probably positive, anyway. Larisa swished her tail idly behind her and peered down at Lua who had settled beside her hoof. Slowly, she lifted her hoof and nudged Lua with it, and for a moment it seemed amusement flickered in the Kirin’s eyes when Lua rolled onto her back briefly. Lua quickly hopped to her paws shortly afterwards and Larisa lowered her head to nudge her muzzle against Lua’s snout. RHF slowly stood to his feet and made his way towards where he had sat his notebook previously. He tucked it close to his side since he wasn’t wearing his cloak and couldn’t tuck it anywhere else that would fit it. He then gazed towards Reggie and offered his human hand to him. “If it means anything, I can help you move a little closer. You’re not required to but maybe.. uh.. I’ll make you feel a tad safer around.. her? Yeah.” He cleared his throat awkwardly- a habit he tended to do. He glanced away briefly and mumbled an addition to his offer. “...That sounded weird. My apologies.”  
Remus slowly moved to be able to gently touch his left hand to the side of Larisa's neck, slowly and gently stroking the fur there whilst trying to stay within her line of sight. He let out a quiet noise of awe as he did so, seeming completely enraptured with the Kirin- if his look of pure and utter adoration and awe was anything to go off of, at least. Meanwhile, Reggie looked up at RHF, an unreadable expression on his face even as he reached up to take the offered hand, staggering slightly as he got to his feet- the damp cloak and cape falling to the ground.  
Larisa perked her pointed ears towards the new hand that was stroking her neck. She lifted her head towards Remus curiously and then lowered her head down towards Remus’ cybernetic arm instead. She faintly wagged her tail behind her as she nudged her muzzle against Remus’ cybernetic hand as if she trusted the non-organic part of him. RHF offered Reggie a small, awkward smile and glanced towards the cloak and cape on the ground. Deciding to leave them there for now, since they were already dirty and needed washing, he began to slowly lead Reggie towards the others. His hand gently held Reggie’s, giving him enough room to pull away if he wanted but it was firm enough to show that he was there for him if he needed it.  
"Be careful- that can hurt you. I don't want to hurt you, Larisa. I can't be gentle with that hand, so I don't use it." Remus explained quietly with a small chuckle, a soft smile on his face despite his words. "You're beautiful, Larisa." Reggie gradually squeezed RHF's hand harder, huddling in on himself and beginning to shake but not pulling away. Terror shone on his face and his hazel eyes, filled with distrust, were pinned on Larisa.  
Larisa let out a small nicker of understanding and lifted her head towards Reggie. Curiosity flashed across her golden eyes that shone like miniature suns and, as if sensing his unease, she lowered herself to the ground to appear smaller. She was still large, of course, but she casually laid down in front of Remus with Lua snuggling into her tail. Larisa’s ears twitched as she accepted the gentle strokes Remus offered her and she refocused his gaze upon him. RHF glanced down at Reggie’s hand holding his own. His expression was unreadable but he tucked his notebook further against his side and remained beside Reggie. “Looks like she’s getting comfortable.” RHF gently joked while staring down at Reggie.  
Remus lowered himself to the ground beside Larisa, looking over at Reggie with a worried expression but staying right where he was as if trying to show him that there was no need to be afraid. Reggie stopped in his tracks when Larisa lowered herself to the ground, all but clinging onto RHF's arm and sucking in a breath to hold. After a few long moments, he let out the breath but didn't move any closer, shaking horribly but not having quite as much terror in his eyes.  
Larisa lifted her head towards Remus’, only to playfully nip at his strands of hair. She was so soft when she did so, merely acting playful with her tail lightly tapping the ground. She seemed to like Remus and was quite curious about him. KR moved away from them briefly once he had a sudden idea. He tucked his notepad into one of his many pockets and then hurried towards a nearby apple tree. He seemed to begin to collect some apples with minor difficulties. RHF watched Reggie for a lengthy moment, his gaze softening and remaining softened. He slowly pulled his arm from Reggie’s grip for a brief moment, then carefully wrapped his arm around the shorter man. Having taken notice of how peculiarly Remus had hugged Reggie previously, he avoided Reggie’s arms. His sidewards hug was firm but not forceful so Reggie could leave if he wished, although he did hold Reggie closely to his side for an attempt at reassurance.  
Remus laughed slightly and let Larisa do so, patting her neck gently and smiling softly. "See, Reggie? She's not gonna hurt anyone. You don't have to touch her- you can come sit on the other side of me, if it'll make you feel safer. I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, I promise." The cyborg reassured gently, watching Reggie with worried but reassuring eyes. Reggie swallowed heavily, finding himself pressing against RHF's side and gripping onto his shirt slightly- scolding himself for acting so weak and childish about an over glorified horse of all things.  
RHF gazed down at Reggie with soft eyes, finding himself relax for Reggie’s sake. He held him close and offered a small, reassuring smile. “You don’t have to move closer if you don’t want to. I’ll be with you the entire way, alright? Do you want to try moving closer to Remus?” He asked, his voice a soft whisper. He kept his voice hushed to try and seem as gentle as he could, afraid he might make Reggie uncomfortable. RHF didn’t seem to mind Reggie gripping onto him. Larisa lifted her gaze towards Reggie and RHF, an unreadable emotion flickering across her golden orbs. She stared at them- the way RHF held Reggie and talked to him catching her attention along with how Reggie held onto RHF. She almost seemed intrigued. KR soon returned with a small pile of apples held in his arms that he had picked. He laid the apples out on the ground for anyone to grab and he grabbed one himself. He bit into it and just watched everyone nonchalantly.  
"...Closer to Remus." He managed to whisper after a few moments, seemingly struggling to get his words out past the lump in his throat. He managed a small step forwards, then another, holding onto RHF like a lifeline while inching his way closer to Remus- and, in turn, to Larisa. The cyborg moved away from Larisa slightly in an attempt at making Reggie feel safer, having realized that him possibly being in danger was part of the problem. "She won't hurt me, either, Reggie, I promise. See how gentle she is? She didn't even pull my hair when she was playing with it, and look, she's not bothering Lua at all. It'll be okay."  
RHF stayed beside Reggie the entire way towards Remus and Larisa. His tail languidly swayed behind him until they reached Remus. He didn’t move away from Reggie so that the shorter man could hold onto him for however long he needed. “It’s going to be alright. You’re strong for moving closer. Just take a few deep breaths.” KR watched them with a slightly tilted head, seeming curious. He took a bite out of his apple- he would’ve helped RHF with Reggie but the hybrid seemed to be handling it quite well on his own. Larisa tapped her tail lightly against the grass for a few moments before stopping once Lua snuggled further into the fur of her tail. Quietly, the Kirin curled her tail around the blue and white fox so the spirit was more comfortable.  
Reggie sucked in a few forced breaths as he slowly lowered himself beside Remus, still clinging onto RHF like a (half-furry) lifeline. Remus was quick to wrap his cybernetic arm around the trembling man, turning his shoulder slightly to Larisa in an attempt to make Reggie feel safer. "You're so strong. See? She won't hurt you, I'll protect you. I love you. I'm here." Remus continued to mumble such comforts into his partner's ear, casting RHF a grateful glance.  
RHF twitched his ears like a happy cat once he caught Remus’ glance. He settled down beside them in case Reggie would feel safer with him also being there and he could still hold onto him if he wished. Silently, his tail tapped against the ground like a semi-happy dog that had just gotten praise. When he realized it was tapping the ground, RHF pressed his hand against his tail to force it to stay still. KR’s eyes softened as he watched the three of them. He quietly picked up another apple and moved closer to them, although stayed closer to Larisa. He patted the Kirin’s side and crouched down beside her. He faintly giggled when Larisa lightly licked the tip of his nose with her large tongue- KR hardly felt it because of how gentle Larisa was. He extended his hand out with the apple and watched as Larisa slowly took it, easily able to eat it in just one crunch. KR ran his hand down Larisa’s muzzle as he glanced towards the other three.  
Reggie shifted around until he was able to hold onto the men on either side of him, still eyeing Larisa nervously over Remus' shoulder- though his breathing was slowly evening out, his trembling lessening and his tense shoulders relaxing. Remus smiled and pressed a small kiss behind his ear, quietly praising him on being brave and strong enough to get this close to the source of his former terror.  
KR pulled out his notepad and began to scribble down words. Once he finished, he flipped the notepad around with a grin. “ _You’re doing great! I’m proud._ ” He said to Reggie with a bright expression. RHF had a warm smile on his face as he slightly scooted closer, almost nervously. He had his ears flattened back rather anxiously since he was moving closer into the affectionate embrace, but he didn’t pull away. He was not used to showing any kind of affection besides with KR, and even then, he was always nervous out in public. It felt warm- nice. Finally, RHF glanced towards Reggie and kept his warm smile. “You’re amazing, y’know that? You’re doing fantastic.” Lua perked her head up from Larisa’s tail and quietly stalked closer to the trio. She curled up beside RHF and rested her head on his leg while observing Reggie curiously. “ _Reggie is lucky to be sandwiched between two hot men- one of which who already somewhat looks like his boyfriend. I’m almost jealous._ ” Lua teased in RHF’s mind, causing the hybrid to abruptly lift a hand to his mouth and nose to stifle his snort. “ _Shut up. I’m just trying to be nice._ ” He responded back to her. “ _I didn’t say anything about you. I was talking about Reggie._ ” Lua mused while wagging her tail rhythmically. “ _I said I was almost jealous about Reggie!_ ” When RHF refused to answer her, Lua snickered in his mind and just watched the scene play out.  
It only took a few more minutes for Reggie to be almost completely calm, watching Larisa with only a twinge of nervousness and relaxing his grip on the two on either side of him. Remus smiled gently and shifted slightly away just enough to reach out and touch Larisa's shoulder, looking between her and Reggie. "See? She isn't gonna hurt anyone. She's a gentle giant." He reassured gently, though he made no attempt to talk Reggie into moving any closer.  
Larisa blinked towards Remus and lowered her head to the ground as if to make herself as small as she could. That was hard for something of huge stature like herself but she still tried at least! She watched Reggie with calm curiosity before she started to watch both him and RHF. She seemed incredibly interested in the two of them. RHF peered over towards the shorter man beside him and quietly swished his tail so it swept over the grass, settling behind Reggie. It was almost a protective mechanism, just in case, so that if Reggie got nervous again, he could grab onto the fur or even pet it to relax his hands. His tail also somewhat touched Remus since the cyborg was close enough to Reggie, although RHF didn’t really seem to notice- if he did, he didn’t mind. Instead, he glanced towards Larisa. “In all my years of knowing her, she hasn’t hurt a soul. I don’t think she’s ever had to hurt anyone, actually. I’m uh.. not sure if that helps you but yeah.. Larisa is a sweet girl. Hopefully, with knowing that, it helps at least a little.” He awkwardly cleared his throat and offered a lopsided smile.  
Reggie found his gaze lingering down to the tail wrapped around him, interest replacing the muted fear as he reached a hand for it- only to catch himself and look to RHF for permission. "May I touch your tail?" He questioned quietly, hovering his hand a few inches above the fluff. Remus snorted at the wording of the question but didn't interject, gently rubbing Larisa's shoulder with his fingertips.  
RHF seemed a bit caught off-guard from the question as if he had been thinking something but was taken out of his thought process. His ears twitched slightly towards Reggie and he chuckled slightly. “...Sure.” He said after a moment, trying to hide his growing excitement. He ignored KR’s snort from his spot by Larisa’s side and just watched Reggie’s hand hover over his tail. Larisa seemed to enjoy the strokes Remus gave her. She lifted her head slowly and turned her head to lightly nudge Remus’ arm gently. She nuzzled it with her muzzle.  
Reggie lowered his hand to gently touch the fluff of RHF's tail, slowly stroking the fur while clenching his other arm tightly as if trying his hardest not to stim. "It feels... nice. Soft and cool... I like it." He mumbled quietly, letting his eyes fall to the fur under his hand to avoid eye contact. Meanwhile, Remus smiled gently at Larisa, his left pupil forming into a small heart that was lighter than the surrounding red, a stark contrast to how it was darker whenever it had done so with Reggie.  
RHF perked his ears up towards Reggie’s hand going through his fur. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Reggie’s hands going through his fur. He seemed incredibly content and in paradise from just being pet. Lua, on the other hand, looked as smug as a fox could be. She stared up at RHF’s surprisingly relaxed face and spoke smoothly in his mind. “ _I feel like you are a little bitch for Reginalds._ ” RHF perked his ears up further in utter bewilderment towards Lua, his eyes quickly opening to stare down at the spirit sprawled out on his lap. “ _W-WHAT?_ ” He practically screamed internally, flattening his ears back in silent protest towards Lua’s statement. “ _The only reason I like being pet is because of you, you fuckin..._ ” His internal voice trailed off as he sighed. “ _Fair, fair. But still. My statement stands._ ” Lua responded in a soft and soothing tone, albeit it was slightly mocking.  
Reggie paused his petting when he saw RHF's reaction to the exchange, looking at him with concern welling up in his expression. "Are you alright, RHF? I'm not hurting you, right?" He questioned quietly, concern shining in his eyes and evident in his tone as he lifted his hand slightly off of the hybrid's tail- enough to not be touching the soft fur anymore. Remus glanced over his shoulder at them but kept his focus mostly on Larisa, trying to show how gentle she was through actions rather than words.  
“No, no. You’re fine.” RHF was quick to reassure him. The tip of his tail lightly tapped against the ground idly. “I’m not sure how to explain.” He awkwardly chuckled and quietly glanced down at Lua. “Remember that.. telepathy shenanigans I mentioned? Lua just caught me off-guard with what she said. Nothing’s wrong- I assure you.” KR snorted slightly at Reggie and RHF before moving closer to Remus while holding one of the apples he had previously picked. He sat the apple beside Remus and glanced towards his notepad to write in it. He flipped it over to Remus. “ _Do you want to feed her? She adores apples._ ”  
Reggie gave a little nod, returning to gently petting the fur and clenching his arm up in an attempt to contain his stimming. Meanwhile, Remus picked up the apple with his right hand, though a hint of nervousness passed over him momentarily. "I've... never fed something as large as her. She won't accidentally bite my hand, will she? I don't want her to hurt her mouth..." He trailed off, watching KR as he awaited a response- trust showing in his eyes for a few moments before he hid it away once more.  
RHF watched Reggie as the man stroked his fur, unable to contain his excited tail from lightly tapping the ground. He lifted a hand and hesitated before he could touch Reggie’s arm, realizing that Reggie probably wouldn’t like that. Instead, he tapped the ground beside Reggie’s arm and offered a small smile. “You don’t have to stop your stims. It’s a wonderful thing. Hell, I can’t stop wagging my tail.” He lightly joked, flashing a grin in an attempt to show Reggie it was okay. KR had a bright smile on his face as he patted Larisa’s side briefly. He then began to scribble down words in his notebook after having flipped to a fresh page. He flipped it over, still keeping his bright smile. “ _Don’t worry! She’ll take it very slowly and very gently. I promise!_ ” There was a little doodle of a small heart as if to solidify his friendly demeanor.  
Reggie hesitated for a moment, watching RHF almost nervously, before letting himself begin to stim, flapping one clenched fist while stroking the soft fur of the hybrid's tail with the other hand. Remus gave a nod of understanding and turned his attention to Larisa as he held out the apple, keeping his fingertips on it as if trying to hold it in place for the Kirin- obviously inexperienced in feeding any horse-like creature.  
RHF flashed a bright smile towards Reggie- a large, genuine gesture. He twitched his ears and began to wag his tail a bit in response to Reggie’s strokes. “Sometimes, I hate how much I like being petted.” RHF joked slightly, offering a small chuckle. “It just feels so damn nice.” Larisa shifted her head towards Remus’ hand and flared her nostrils. She peeled her lips back so she was more careful in using her teeth and proceeded to gently take the apple. She pulled her head back and she easily engulfed the apple with her lips, allowing herself to bite into the apple. She flicked one ear and lowered her head down to Remus’ face to gently nudge his nose with her muzzle in a grateful way.  
Reggie seemed to think for a few moments before shifting around to be cuddled against RHF, still petting his tail gently with a small yet genuine smile on his face. "I'm glad you enjoy it, at least." He offered in a quieter voice, letting himself relax- his stimming turning from full flapping to rubbing his pants leg with his fingertips in a much quicker up-and-down motion than he was the fur of the hybrid's tail. Meanwhile, Remus beamed as Larisa nudged his nose, letting a tiny bit of a giggle escape him as he leaned his forehead against her muzzle. "You're a very gentle giant, Larisa."  
RHF perked his ears up in surprise towards the sudden physical contact and seemed hesitant. Slowly, he wrapped an arm around Reggie to hold him close, hardly aware of the blush forming on his own face from his own embarrassment. He had his ears pinned back and he just quietly chuckled, wrapping his tail around the shorter man a bit more in what was almost a protective manner. Larisa perked her pointed ears up towards Remus’ action before she closed her eyes to relish in the moment. She flared her nostrils and allowed warm air to waft against Remus’ face while KR giggled lightly in the background. Lua, on the other hand, was watching Reggie and RHF closely. “ _What did those askers say once before? Simp? Yeah, that’s what you are. A Reginald Simp._ ” Lua quipped but RHF was too focused on Reggie to even notice her words- well, if he did, he hardly gave a reaction to it.  
Reggie let his eyes close as he relaxed against RHF, his smile growing even bigger and his stimming trailing off as if he were relaxed as much as he could possibly be in the situation. His stroking of the fur slowed to a stop and he buried his fingers in the fluff, beginning to gently yet slowly scrunch his fingers up and relax them outwards in a pattern not far from that of his calm, deep breathing. Remus laughed quietly and closed his right eye, his left pupil once more forming into that light, small heart. He lifted his left hand to gently stroke the Kirin's neck, basking in the gentle, heartfelt interaction. "You're just a sweetheart, huh? You're wonderful, Larisa."  
RHF twitched his ears slightly towards Reggie’s calmer breaths. He carefully shifted to pull Reggie closer as though instinctive. Once Reggie was close enough and in a more comfortable position, where he was leaning more against his chest with one of RHF’s arms wrapped around him, he rested his chin on top of Reggie’s head. He didn’t know if this was alright so he didn’t put much weight on Reggie’s head until he was able to be certain. He still had his tail wrapped around the shorter man, practically draping the fluffy appendage over Reggie’s lap like a blanket. KR was watching Remus and Larisa with softened eyes, a bright grin stretching across his features. He finally glanced over towards Reggie and RHF and squeaked in mild surprise towards RHF and Reggie. He didn’t say anything- not like he could, anyway- but he stared. RHF had his eyes closed so the hybrid didn’t notice KR’s stares. Larisa snorted quietly towards Remus and swished her tail behind her and against the grass. She slowly pulled away from Remus’ face to glance towards Reggie and RHF and, as if it was a reaction towards the duo’s positivity, her sharp horn shimmered with faint magic. She seemed very curious and intrigued towards their cuddling session.  
Reggie jolted just slightly when he was suddenly moved, looking up at RHF with a look of adoration crossing his features. We was quick to close his eyes and hide it away, however, smiling warmly and resting both of his hands on the tail draped over his lap. A bit of confusion flashed across Remus' features when the attention was suddenly shifted, but when he followed Larisa's gaze, surprise replaced it. "Holy shit." His voice was hardly more than a breath, an almost stunned look filling his features as he watched Reggie and RHF cuddle.  
RHF twitched his ears slightly towards Remus’ whisper but didn’t think much of it. Instead, he emitted a quiet happy sound similar to that of a purr albeit not exactly like a cat. He had both of his arms wrapped around Reggie, albeit it was slightly awkward to avoid the shorter man’s arms, but he didn’t mind. He liked the physical interaction to begin with- any kind of gentle physical interaction was enough for him. KR watched them quietly, unsure of how to react. After a few moments, he smirked with faint pride towards RHF before averting his attention to Remus. He scribbled words in his notepad after a few more moments passed, then flipped it over towards Remus. “ _That- I did not expect that. Does Reggie typically cuddle people? RHF doesn’t cuddle people often. This is bizarre but in a good way? I’m not sure._ ” KR admitted with a small chuckle.  
It took a moment for Remus to look at KR, the darker heart-shaped pupil quickly returning to normal as he shook himself off slightly. "Nope, not really. A quick hug, maybe, but the only other people I've ever seen him cuddle like that have been me and then our son." A dumbfounded look hung over him, his tone having a hint of confusion as he seemed to turn something over in his mind- whilst Reggie simply let out a quiet, happy sigh, grateful for the relaxation and comfort after the earlier panic.  
KR blinked at that and seemed quite a bit solemn at the mention of a son. He went silent- well, more so than normal- and just sat there. He watched Reggie and RHF with a softer gaze- them cuddling like that reminded KR of the comfort he received from RHF during that time. He quietly wrote in his notepad after a moment and tapped the ground beside Remus to get his attention. “ _If you don’t mind me asking, but you mentioned a son?_ ” He asked, his eyes softened but he didn’t really notice his own softer and semi-solemn demeanor. Meanwhile, RHF was still holding Reggie close. His breaths were soft and slow as if he feared any louder breath would disturb the shorter man he was holding close. His organic cheek was flushed with a light rosy red and, despite his other cheek being that of fur, it seemed to be flushed with a lighter red that was mostly obscured by the blue-and-white fur. Silently, RHF hoped that Reggie couldn’t hear his racing heartbeat thundering against his chest.  
A solemn looked passed over Remus' face, but he was quick to harden his expression into something blank and emotionless once more. "We had a son. When he was younger, in his mid-teens, he was prone to nightmares, so Reggie would cuddle with him to calm him down." His voice held a tone that was almost warning, trying his best to signal that it wasn't something he was willing to discuss further without having to show emotion. He kept his gaze on Reggie- save for reading KR's question, of course- watching his partner begin somewhat drifting off in the hybrid's arms with an unreadable expression.  
KR’s expression softened further as he quickly caught onto the hint. He watched Remus’ expression for a lengthy moment before flipping his notepad around after writing in it. “ _Cuddling certainly does help with nightmares. It’s soft, and warm. To be completely honest, seeing RHF and Reggie over there is quite adorable, wouldn’t you agree? I’m glad they feel safe with each other._ ” He said in his attempts at changing the subject. RHF twitched his ears slightly to himself rather idly, still possessing his faint blush. Quietly, he hummed a sweet lullaby- there were no lyrics, but instinct had taken ahold of RHF’s mind. In the moment of warmth and comfort of Reggie, he temporarily forgot that Remus and KR were there with Larisa. So, as he hummed, he wasn’t as embarrassed about the sweet sound he quietly emitted in an attempt to make a Reggie feel even safer in his strong arms.  
"Yeah. I'm glad they feel safe together as well. RHF handled Reggie being scared... wonderfully, really. Better than I would've." He kept his voice quiet, opting to keep his eyes on KR instead of on Reggie and RHF- though, if it was for their comfort or his own was unclear even to himself. Reggie melted even further against RHF, smiling softly and letting his chest swell with admiration as he fell deeper into his light doze, more than comfortable enough in the hybrid's arms.  
“ _RHF is gentle in any situation. I’m not surprised he was quick to help Reggie, either!_ ” KR wrote with a warm smile, lightly tapping the ground beside him in a small stim. He stared at his notepad for a moment and quickly reached for it to add something, then flipped it to Remus once he finished. “ _And I think you would’ve helped Reggie wonderfully, too! Having other help is also nice, but I’m sure you would’ve done amazingly._ ” Larisa watched RHF and Reggie with piqued interest, moreso observing Reggie closely. Her golden eyes were soft and held innocent curiosity towards the duo. However, RHF abruptly stopped humming and lulling Reggie to sleep. His ears swiveled on their axis and his nostrils flared towards the metallic scent of fresh blood wafting from Reggie. He shifted slightly and gazed down at the shorter man in his arms, his eyes softened towards him but filled with the utmost concern. He lifted his head from the top of Reggie’s and kept flaring his nostrils to get a better smell of the blood. He made a small sound, similar to that of a whimper, unsure of what to do at first.  
Remus didn't give a worded response, simply letting out a small hum of vague agreement before turning his attention to Reggie and RHF- catching the disappointed expression that flashed across Reggie's face as he reluctantly opened his eyes and looked up at RHF with a questioning look. An unreadable expression crossed the cyborg's features, but he quickly settled his face back into a neutral expression as he watched Reggie pull away from RHF slightly. "...Are you alright?" The shorter of the two questioned after a few moments, his voice quiet and soft, tinged with worry.  
RHF flattened his ears back for a moment and cleared his throat somewhat. “Yeah. I just uh.. remembered something.” He paused for a moment, unable to lift his gaze to KR or Remus as though he would get too embarrassed if he did so. “This kingdom has a lot of sightseeing spots. I was... wondering if you uh.. would want to go with me to one of them. If.. you want to, of course. And if Remus trusts me.. enough to uh.. be with you as a guide. Because I trust Remus to uh.. be with KR during the time.. and.. yeah.” He awkwardly cleared his throat again and looked away briefly, seeming nervous. The fluff along his tail was puffed out a bit more than usual.  
A mutual look of mild surprise crossed both Reggie and Remus' features, the former's face settling into a small smile and the latter's returning to a neutral expression. "I trust you. I'm glad you trust me, as well. I won't let anything happen to KR." Remus nodded as he spoke, flashing a small smile and glancing at KR as if making sure he was okay with this development. Reggie's small smile grew and he moved to climb to his feet, offering RHF a hand- seemingly completely unaware that he was bleeding. That, or he was ignoring the pain, wherever it might have been radiating from.  
KR gave a thumbs up in approval and seemed to grin brightly towards RHF and Reggie, as if he probably liked them hanging out together a bit too much. He was honestly completely for them hanging out more- that meant he could hang out with Remus more. To KR, Remus was very interesting. RHF gazed up at Reggie for a brief moment as Lua moved away to give RHF a bit more room. “I’m getting a sense of Deja vu.” RHF smirked up towards Reggie, unaware of his eyes faintly dilating in admiration towards the shorter man. He lifted his human hand to Reggie’s and gripped it firmly so he was able to lift himself to his feet. He dusted himself off and glanced towards Remus warmly. “And thank you. I’m glad to know the trust is mutual.” He lifted a hand to his ears for a bit to smooth them out, then glanced towards the cloak and cape they had left closer to the pond. He debated whether or not to grab his cloak to hide his Vulpes features and decided against it- just this once. He faced Reggie and gestured for him, watching as Lua dissipated into a puff of blue and white smoke, disappearing into RHF’s visible fox necklace.  
Reggie smiled warmly at RHF, letting a bit of admiration show in his eyes as he motioned for the hybrid to lead the way with a small laugh, following just behind him. Remus chuckled and let a small, soft smile come to his face as he watched the interaction, shifting closer to KR as if feeling like he needed to show he would protect him- though, in the back of his mind, he acknowledged that KR seemed more than capable of fending off a threat. "I'm glad he trusts me to protect you. I'm a little nervous letting Reggie go off with him, but I know it's highly unlikely something will happen that the two of them won't be able to handle." Remus observed once Reggie and RHF were out of earshot, giving KR a somewhat awkward smile.  
RHF walked forward with a swish of his fluffy tail that, to his own surprise, was puffed out more than usual. He glanced back at Reggie and awkwardly pressed his paw close to himself as if to try and keep it out of sight- it didn’t work but it made him feel better anyway. His pupils dilated faintly towards Reggie as he walked, making sure not to go too fast or too slow for the shorter man. “I can’t wait to show you the rest of the kingdom while you’re here. There’s so much to see!” He grinned broadly, albeit couldn’t help himself from gripping his furry arm when he and Reggie had walked back out into the public. Despite his smiling expression, he was quite nervous being within view of the civilians. KR smiled up at Remus and nodded in agreement. He began to write in his notebook and then flipped it over towards Remus. “ _I’m positive it’ll be alright! And since it’s just the two of us here, maybe we can do something to pass the time. I can teach you some sign language, if you wish? Or you can try riding Larisa with me to get a feel for her. Or we can do something else and just talk. It’s up to you!_ ” KR had a bright smile on his face- a welcoming gesture. He seemed to scoot a bit closer to Remus even though he wasn’t too sure on why. Waiting for Remus’ response, he began to absentmindedly pat Larisa’s neck and trailed his fingers through her fur.  
Reggie's smile fell into a worried frown as he watched RHF's slight changes in demeanor, moving closer to him and offering him a hand. "I'm sorry again for getting your cloak dirty. Mine's damp in more than a few places, but if you don't mind that, you should take it. You need it more than I do." He mustered a small, reassuring smile as he spoke, sticking close to RHF's side almost protectively. "I don't mind- I really don't need it, especially not as much as you do." Remus snorted slightly as he read the words, a small grin coming to his face. "That all sounds wonderful, though I think I'll go for learning some sign language- The less time you have to spend writing to communicate with us, the better. I know how to finger-spell, and a few signs me and Reggie would've needed in an emergency- 'help', 'okay', 'gun', 'hurt', 'bad', and 'enemy'." As he said the words, he signed them, having to think about them for a few moments as if wanting to make sure he had them right so he didn't look like a fool.  
RHF twitched his ears towards Reggie, his eyes softening. He slowly took Reggie’s hand with his paw and was mindful of his claws to make sure he didn’t accidentally hurt the shorter man. “I’m.. alright. Well, I’m better than alright with you here, if I’m to be completely honest. And besides, I wouldn’t want the others to stare and make comments about you. That wouldn’t be.. the most pleasant.” He flashed a small but genuine smile towards Reggie, almost seeming to admire the man’s kindness. KR perked towards the words Remus gestured and watched his hands for a moment. He seemed contemplative and, deciding to show Remus something more lighthearted in sign, he reached for his notepad. He flipped it over towards Remus after writing and smiled. “ _That’s amazing! But I’m going to teach you something that you can surprise Reggie with._ ” After KR was sure Remus read the words on the notepad, he lifted his arms. He pointed to himself and then crossed his arms over his chest, soon pointing towards Remus in the simple but impactful gesture. He spelled out three words on his notepad so Remus knew the sign he performed. “ _I love you._ ”  
Reggie gladly took the hybrid's paw, giving it a light, gentle squeeze in hopes of offering a bit more reassurance to the taller man. "I can handle that- what are they going to say that I don't already think, you know? Besides, there's not much to make fun of other than the obvious- I'm a messy-haired, scarred-up twink, and I'm well aware of that. They can't say a thing I haven't already heard before." He laughed genuinely despite his words, smiling warmly up at RHF. Remus watched carefully as KR signed the words, only to go wide-eyed when he read what the gestures meant. He laughed slightly and hesitated before repeating the sign, seeming almost a little nervous about it. "I'll teach him that one, for sure." He half-joked with a small laugh, a smile on his face regardless of the slight nerves he was feeling.  
RHF blinked towards Reggie before abruptly bursting into laughter. Upon hearing his own laugh, he lifted a hand to his mouth to stifle it, which only resulted in frequent snorts and faint wheezes. He shook his head quickly and took in a deep breath to compose himself. Flashing a smile to Reggie, and a few chuckles, he coughed a bit so he was able to speak. “Even though Lua agrees with that ‘twink’ comment, I think you’re by far more than what you give yourself credit. Besides, Remus entrusted me to look after you and damn, I’ll fulfill my duty. That includes not letting you get belittled just for existing.” KR grinned happily towards Remus and gave a thumbs up of approval. He seemed thoughtful before taking his notepad and writing in it quickly. He turned it around to face Remus so he could read it. “ _This next one is a sign I love to do because RHF will always comply! It’s the sign for ‘hug’ and is pretty basic but effective._ ” And at that, KR clenched both hands into a fist and crossed his arms over one another on the top of his chest. He offered a smile afterwards and quickly added some sentences onto the same page of his notepad. “ _I’m not exactly the best teacher but I thought affectionate gestures like this would be nice to show Reggie, too. For me, actions speak louder than words and affection through sign is impactful for me. I thought it’d be nice._ ”  
Reggie gave a small shrug, his smile growing and his shoulders relaxing. "If you say so. Just know that if you get too uncomfortable, the offer's always open- I've dealt with worse than a bunch of nobodies with not a trace of respect for those who protect them. Me and Remus were criminals, remember? We were constantly belittled and scorned- feared and hated by people we'd never even heard of. It's to be expected, at that point- very few saw past the fact that we were Toppats, except for other Toppats." He fell silent after he finished speaking, his expression an unreadable mix of complicated emotions- yet a smile remained on his face, even though it was far more forced than before. Remus nodded and repeated the gesture, this time with much more confidence than he had before. "You're a great teacher so far, if it helps. I appreciate it far more than I can put into words. It's hard for me to express my emotions vocally, so maybe signs like this will help with that." He spoke sheepishly, looking off to the side and giving a small shrug as if trying to play off his meaningful words.  
RHF hesitantly trailed his thumb over the back of Reggie’s hand, still careful about the his claw. He cleared his throat awkwardly and lifted a hand to the back of his neck in his familiar, nervous gesture. “If it helps, I don’t see you any differently- thief or not. You don’t deserve to be belittled for anything, Reggie, and neither does Remus. You’re very kind and.. well.. uh.. Fuck, I’m not good with words.” RHF awkwardly chuckled and glanced away, feeling nerves rise in his chest like millions of fluttering butterflies. “I guess I’m just grateful you’re the kind of person you are? Are those the right words? I’m not sure. Just... the fact you don’t look at me weirdly is just.. nice. Yeah.” KR tilted his head slightly towards Remus and offered a reassuring smile. He lightly tapped right beside Remus to signify ‘you’ and to get his attention, then pulled his hands away. He had his arms relatively lowered and pointed up at the sky, soon pinching the tip of his pointer finger with his right hand. His fingers along his right hand were splayed out as he lifted both hands further upwards so they were level with his chest. KR then took his notepad to tell Remus what he had signed. “ _That sign was the sign for ‘special’ because I think you’re pretty special, if that helps at all. You don’t need to be good with words! You’re valid, just being yourself._ ”  
Reggie's smile grew warm as he heard the words and he couldn't contain a few moments of flapping his free fist, giving the paw in his other hand a small squeeze. "Those are good words! I'm glad you feel that way, even if I don't really see whatever it is you see in me. Remus is... as perfect as anyone could be. I'm nothing, especially compared to him- but that's quite alright!" He hesitated for a moment before lifting the hand holding RHF's paw, pressing a somewhat awkward kiss to the back of the fluffy appendage before letting it fall to his side once more. Remus snorted slightly at KR's words, lifting his right hand to chest level. "Well, I sure as hell am some degree of special, no matter what I think of myself. My sort of cybernetics are extremely rare- there's only been a handful of people to successfully have half their brain supported solely by cybernetics, you know? I may think I ain't shit, but at least I have that going for me- and a wonderful boyfriend who I don't deserve, to top it all off."  
RHF perked his ears towards the sudden kiss to the back of his paw, his expression a mixture of surprise and something indescribable. His face darkened tremendously and his heart fluttered. He flattened his ears back and glanced away to try and hide his flushed appearance. However, when he finally was able to process the words Reggie said, he glanced towards the shorter man. “You are phenomenal.” He finally said, flaring his nostrils slightly in his quiet attempts at ignoring the metallic scent of blood. Slowly, RHF lifted his normal hand and hesitated briefly due to the nerves he was feeling. He spun on his feet slightly so he stood in front of Reggie, halting them briefly in their walking so he could cup Reggie’s cheek with his normal hand, his paw still gently holding Reggie’s hand. Still blushing, he cleared his throat awkwardly when he was able to find words. “You are worth so much- you don’t even realize. But trust me when I say that you’re worth every second. Remus is lucky to have you.” Realizing that he touched Reggie’s cheek without his permission, he pulled his hand away quickly and glanced away. “My.. apologies. I got a little carried away. I should’ve asked to do that.” KR listened to Remus and quietly tapped his own leg calmly. He reached for his notepad and rested it on his leg so he could write in it. He flipped it around when he finished. “ _I’m glad you two have each other. Reggie seems like a good boyfriend, as do you._” He had underlined ‘boyfriend’ because he pulled his hands away to sign it. He lifted one hand to his forehead and hovered it there, soon pinching all of his fingers together. In one swift movement, he lowered that hand so he could link his index finger with the index finger of his other hand. He finished the motion by switching the bottom index fingers’ placement so it was on top of the other.  
Reggie could do nothing but gape at RHF, eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly in a look of utter shock- a healthy dose of admiration mixed in with it. It took a few moments too long for him to regather himself, trying to hide how his cheeks heated up but reaching to pull the hood of his cloak further over his face. He opened his mouth to speak, only to close it when he couldn't sort out his thoughts enough to turn them into words. Instead, he reached to tap RHF's chest, both to get his attention and to signal that he was referring to the hybrid. He then put the tips of his pointer finger and thumb together, splaying the rest of his fingers out from his palm in the sign for 'okay'. Reggie hesitated for a moment before removing his hand from the taller man's paw to sign 'friend' as well, tapping the hybrid's chest afterwards and grabbing the paw with both of his hands. Remus mimicked the sign to the best of his ability, slowly finger-spelling Reggie's name afterwards. "Thank you. Reggie's the best boyfriend I could ever dream of- he's not perfect, but I love his flaws just as much as any other part of him." He chuckled quietly as he spoke, the pupil of his left eye holding the form of a small, dark heart as he thought of his lover. "...You and RHF both seem like wonderful boyfriends- and wonderful people, really. Not everyone has his strength and loyalty, and not everyone has your mercy and kindness. It's admirable."  
RHF perked his ears up towards Reggie’s signs. His expression softened as his pupils dilated in awe towards Reggie. When Reggie had tapped his chest, his heart fluttered and RHF internally cursed himself for it. The hybrid’s cheeks slightly flushed a light rosy red and he stared at how the shorter man held his paw with both of his hands. Silently, he wondered why being called Reggie’s ‘friend’ caused his heart to ache. “You know a bit of sign. That’s remarkable.” He stated once he was able to find his words. There was a softness in that green eye and blue eye of his as he tried to formulate words. “Let’s keep going. We’re almost there.” He said, deciding to change the subject back to the task at hand since he was trying his best to hide how much his heart fluttered. He stared at Reggie far longer than he should’ve but he soon turned away and held Reggie’s hand with his paw still, retreating back to Reggie’s side. His gaze refocused on the castle up ahead and he hardly noticed how his tail was wagging behind him. KR blinked towards Remus’ compliments before smiling warmly. He took his notebook and scribbled some words into them and then showed Remus. “ _RHF is definitely strong. I love him very much. As for my mercy and kindness? It makes me happy that you think it’s admirable. Not many people here find it an endearing quality because they think being too kind is a burden._” KR admitted but he still kept a smile on his face. He began to sign the word for strong since he had underlined it. His hands formed fists and he pulled them away from his body a bit, almost seeming like he was flexing his biceps but he wasn’t.  
Reggie nodded and walked at RHF's side, sticking close to him and humming a quiet tune under his breath as he got lost in thought. He was relaxed, for someone who smelt so strongly of fresh blood, though if RHF looked close enough, he'd catch a glimmer of pain in those hazel eyes. "Me and Remus both know some. The words we learned wouldn't be helpful anymore, but they were important back then." He commented almost idly, falling back into his quiet humming afterwards. "Being kind is never a burden. There are times you have to turn your back to kindness, but it's not a burden. People who think otherwise are idiots." As he spoke, he tried his best to mimic the sign- it took a few moments, but he managed it. "Though, frankly, that's not the only proof I've seen of your people being idiots. Even the clan wasn't that bad, and I swear that the lot of them had so few braincells you'd only need one hand to count them all."  
RHF watched Reggie quietly, his eyes slightly hardening in concern. He swallowed roughly and led Reggie up the bit of stairs that led to the castle. The guards respectively moved aside upon seeing RHF immediately, giving the duo space. “There’s a library in the castle if you’re curious and want to learn more sign. I could even teach you, if you wish. That is, if you want to learn more.” RHF offered with a twitch of his ears. “I’m not the best teacher when it comes to some things, but I can definitely help with sign.” KR nodded in approval towards Remus’ sign and he kept a warm smile. He even chuckled and reached for his notepad. He flipped to a fresh page and scribbled down words with his pencil. When he heard the pencil lead snap, he automatically tucked the unusual pencil back into his clothing to pull out a new one. He spun the notepad around towards Remus. “ _Your words mean a lot, Remus. Thank you. You’re very remarkable and strong. You have very endearing qualities that are admirable._ ”  
"I'm sure you'd be a great teacher! I would like to learn more, yeah- I'm not sure how well I'll do, though. I'm not the best at learning new things like that." He admitted quietly with a small shrug, eyeing the guards almost nervously as he passed them. Remus snorted slightly at the written words, shaking his head momentarily. "I'm only telling the truth. Thank you, though- sometimes I really need to hear things like that. It means a lot more than I can put into words." He looked down at the ground slightly as he spoke, reaching his right hand to once more begin fiddling with blades of grass.  
“You’d do amazing.” RHF replied with a small smile, unable to help his nostrils from flaring slightly. The smell of blood was so strong for the hybrid and it was quite disorienting. “Sign isn’t too hard to learn, especially if you have a patient teacher. Besides, you’re a smart guy- you’d learn quickly.” KR chuckled slightly and scribbled more words into his notepad. Once he finished, he flipped the notepad around towards Remus, his eyes flickering in amusement. “ _Well, you didn’t really hear my words! More like read them._ ” He grinned cheekily, clearly amused. He didn’t seem to mind being mute.  
Reggie gave a half-forced laugh, shaking his head slightly. "I'm really not nearly as smart as you think I am. I honestly don't know what gave you that impression. The little bit I do know took me a little over a year to be able to use without messing up." He pointed out, flashing RHF a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. A small burst of laughter escaped Remus, though he quickly stifled it- practically beaming at KR. "I mean, you're right, but you get what I mean. Hear, read, see, anything. I needed it, either way. Thank you."  
“Well, the fact you learned it at all is impressive.” RHF attempted, somewhat tilting his head towards Reggie. “Learning a new language is difficult. Everyone has their respective pace. I still think you’re remarkable either way.” RHF admitted, having to glance away to hide the sheen of blush forming over his cheeks. He didn’t understand why he loved complimenting Reggie so much and why it was so easy to do so. KR blinked towards Remus’ laugh, probably staring for a bit too long afterwards. He admired Remus for a few more moments, almost seeming to watch in awe. He glanced away once he realized he had been staring for a while. He reached for his notepad and scribbled down words, underlining them all. “ _Your laugh is cute. _” KR then signed the words for emphasis, gesturing towards Remus as if to say ‘you’. He then made an ‘L’ shape with his hands and, with both hands, he brought the pointer fingers to the corners of his mouth. He smiled brightly and brought the pointer fingers around in small circles a couple of times which was the sign for ‘laugh’. To finish off the sentence, he took his index and middle fingers of one hand and brushed them downward against his chin to sign ‘cute’.  
Reggie found himself unable to think of a response, simply humming a quiet, slow tune as he walked. He gave RHF's paw a squeeze, looking around at his surroundings with a touch of confusion. "If I may ask, why did we come back to the castle...? Is there a room here you wanted to show me or something of that sort?" He asked gently, looking up to meet the hybrid's gaze. The cyborg stared at KR for a few long moments, his smile somewhat lopsided and a look of amused confusion on his face. "I hate my voice, so I'm glad you like my laugh. It's damn near ear-grating to me, especially when it's a burst like that. Blame the cybernetics- it wasn't too bad before them."  
RHF twitched his ears slightly towards Reggie’s words. He kept his paw loose and gentle in Reggie’s grip, although firm enough where it wasn’t limp. “I want to get something beforehand. It’s important.” He responded and led Reggie down a hall. His steps were quiet like a stalking predator as he strode forward, taking Reggie around a corner. “I hope you don’t mind.” He finally added when they reached a specific room and RHF had opened the door for Reggie. The room wasn’t anything special, a mere bedroom as fancy as the other rooms, but with more personalized items for decoration. RHF made his way over to the drawers to look for something. KR tilted his head towards Remus, then reached for his notepad. He scribbled down words and then flipped it over in his familiar manner. “ _Your voice is charming._ I enjoy it.” He said, signing the words he had underlined. He gestured towards the cyborg to signify ‘you’. He then brought two fingers up to his neck and with the back of his hand facing Remus, he spread his fingers out while also pulling his hand away from his neck. That was the sign for ‘voice’. He pressed his fingers together and circled it around in front of his chin, soon shifting his fingers every time his hand pulled away so that the tips of his fingers tapped his palm twice. That was the sign for ‘charming’. He didn’t have to sign what he wrote but he wanted to show emphasis to Remus and this was how he knew how.  
"I don't mind at all!" Reggie piped happily, standing around idly and keeping his eyes on RHF as he waited- noticeably holding his arms closer to his chest than before, though it could be easily passed off as simply being an idle position. "If it's important, we probably need it, so I really don't mind." The cyborg gave KR a rather unreadable look for a few long moments before clearing his throat and looking off to the right- effectively hiding his expression entirely. "...I'm glad you think so. It's... probably odd and unusual for you, with stuff like my cybernetics not existing in this world. In my world, it doesn't have... the best reputation. Robotic voices, that is."  
RHF kept opening drawers as he looked for whatever it was he was searching for. After a long while of searching, his ears perked when he managed to wiggle a roll of bandages out of the comfort of the drawer. He held the roll of bandages that was accompanied by a small cloth, proceeding to turn to face Reggie. His eyes fixated upon the shorter man’s gaze and, whilst unblinking, he spoke smoothly. “Please show me where you’re bleeding.” KR shrugged simply and shook his head, writing. “ _It isn’t too bad! RHF’s voice warbles a lot of the time. I guess I’m just used to those kind of voices. It didn’t take me too long to get use to your cybernetics, either! I’d rather get to know you for the kind of person you are, not what you’re made of._ ”  
Every ounce of color and happiness drained from Reggie's face, though he did manage to keep up a false smile and give a shaky laugh. "What do you mean? I'm not bleeding, RHF. Are you sure your nose is that good?" His voice was weak as he attempted to play the concern off with a joke, tucking his arms behind his back to hide how he was shaking. The cyborg simply looked at KR with an unreadable expression for a few long moments before blinking and looking off to the side, laughing slightly. "You're a very kind man, KR. Understanding and smart, as well. I have to say, no matter how this all ends, I'm glad I got the chance to meet you. You and RHF both- along with Lua and Larisa, of course."  
RHF stared towards Reggie, his ears twitching slightly. His eyes roved over the shorter man’s expression, staring unblinkingly towards him. He listened to the shaky laugh with his sensitive ears that kept twitching towards everything. “Reggie, please.” He whispered, practically begging but still holding firm. His tail was puffed out as he stood there, nostrils flaring. “It’s fresh blood on you. I don’t want you to be in pain...” KR blinked towards Remus, dumbfounded. He was silent- well, as silent as an already mute person could be. Finally, he smiled warmly and emitted a quiet, breathy chuckle. He stared down at his notepad contemplatively. Finally, he sat his notepad aside to fix his sitting position so his posture was straighter, allowing more air to flow into his lungs. He opened his mouth, a voice no louder than a strangled whisper escaping him. “Th...ank... you...” He managed to say aloud, albeit coughed as a response. Since it had been only two words he had said, the coughs weren’t severe or even loud. Larisa let out a quiet snort and lowered her head down to KR. She nudged his throat in the slightest with her muzzle, only to be lightly patted by KR to reassure her.  
"I-It's nothing, really, RHF. I'm okay. I'm not in pain. There's no need for those bandages, really!" He let out a nervous, forced laugh, taking a small step back and keeping his eyes on the floor, swallowing heavily. "It's nothing. There's no need for you to worry." Remus gawked at KR, his right eye wide and his mouth hanging open slightly. It took a minute for him to regather himself, a slight smile coming to his face- though worry also appeared there. "Careful, I can't imagine speaking's very good for your throat. Are you alright? Do you need some water or something?"  
RHF visibly frowned and stepped closer, holding the bandages and the cloth that’d be used for cleaning up blood. He held both items in his paw so that when he reached Reggie, he could use his human hand to lightly tilt Reggie’s chin up. “I am not obligated to know anything about you; why you’re bleeding as an example. But I care a lot about you, Reginald.” He easily said Reggie’s full first name and not the nickname they had assigned him. His human hand remained gently pressed beneath Reggie’s chin to keep it tilted upwards, although Reggie could easily pull away if he so wished. RHF made direct eye contact with the shorter man. KR rubbed his throat slightly- a habit he performed quite often, especially after forcing words out of his throat. He shook his head slightly towards Remus’ question but flashed a grateful smile. He signed a quick ‘okay’ to further assure Remus, then reached for his notepad to write. “ _I thought you deserved a verbal response. Your words were very kind. Thank you._ ”  
Reggie stayed silent for a few long moments before sighing and pulling away, holding a hand out almost expectantly whilst looking just to the side of RHF's eyes. "I'll clean and bandage it. In private, if that's alright with you." He barely managed to keep his voice calm, though it shook slightly as he spoke despite his best efforts. "Nothing I have done or could ever do 'deserves' for you to do something that causes you pain, KR. I promise you that. I can't stop you from doing it, but please don't hurt or strain yourself. Written and signed words are no lesser than spoken ones." Remus' voice was gentle and he reached over to tap the other's pencil with his left hand, giving a half-smile. "That's one of your most valuable tools- and weapons- so who am I to tell you not to use it?"  
“Of course.” RHF nodded and gently handed Reggie the bandages and cloth. “Afterwards, we can go to the sightseeing spot. If.. you still want to go, of course. I understand if you’re not up to it, especially after this exchange.” He took a few steps back and turned away, slightly gesturing to a side room. “There’s a bathroom there, if you wish to use it.” KR blinked towards Remus’ hand, a soft and tender look overtaking his expression. He almost seemed dumbfounded but grateful towards Remus’ words, then reached for his notepad. “ _You deserve so much, Remus. You’re kind, compassionate, and very sweet. Your words mean a lot more than you realize, probably. I’m glad that I was able to meet you and Reggie, too._ ” There was a small doodle of a heart after his message. Larisa eyed the two of them for a lengthy moment. After those moments passed, she turned her large head to face the castle. With a snort of finality, she moved away from Remus and KR to stand to her hooves, towering over the two of them immensely. She shook out her fur and began to trot away from the duo, making her way to the castle. KR watched her leave but didn’t make a comment on it.  
"I still want to." Reggie let his gaze fall to the floor as he hurried into the bathroom, holding his breath as if expecting RHF to change his mind. Once he was in the privacy of the bathroom, he let the breath go and got to work replacing the bandages on the arm Remus had grabbed before. The cyborg had gone to reply to KR's written words, only to jump slightly when Larisa began moving. He watched her with a look of confusion on his face, though he didn't say anything for a good minute or so. "Should... we be worried about that? She's going towards the castle, not the stables..."  
RHF swished his tail behind him, patiently waiting. He rubbed his arm quietly; a nervous habit. His eyes flickered around the room but he kept them from the bathroom, as though he thought that looking at the bathroom would make Reggie uncomfortable despite not being able to see him. His thoughts ran wild as he tried to calm his nerves- a weird feeling in his chest making its debut to the point RHF lifted his paw up to where his heart was. It felt weirdly familiar. KR watched Larisa leave, his expression thoughtful. Finally, he shook his head and faced Remus. “ _She tends to walk around the kingdom a lot. She’s most likely doing her rounds as always!_ ” KR wrote, flashing a small smile.  
It wasn't very long before Reggie emerged from the bathroom, a wide smile on his face that didn't quite match the guarded look in his eyes. "Sorry about that. It was nothing- just a small thing that reopened when Remus grabbed my arm earlier. I didn't even notice it. You said you had somewhere to show me?" Remus' gaze stayed on KR, a small 'hm' of interest escaping him. "That's... nice. I'm glad she's strong enough to do so, and that she's safe when she does it. I'm glad she trusts me enough with you, really.”  
RHF perked towards Reggie and smiled warmly towards him. “I’m glad it wasn’t too serious. I was worried. I’m relieved you’re alright.” The hybrid admitted, a genuine expression forming over his countenance. He kept his warm smile but he seemed a tad nervous. “And.. about the spot... It’s on a higher level of the castle, actually. It.. has a nice view and I enjoy it a lot. I... thought that maybe you’d like to see it with me.. and uh.. hang out up there for a little. Yeah...” He awkwardly rubbed his furry arm with his human hand, seeming like a nervous wreck. KR nodded and grinned, reaching for his notepad. “ _I have a link with Larisa, as many people have with animal companions. It’s a thing that happens in this world and it’s quite handy. It also allows us to know the thoughts and feelings of said companions. In other words, Larisa really likes you and I would know. She also thinks your eyes are beautiful- both of them._ ” The king responded, having taken a few minutes to write out the response. He still kept his normal bright smile plastered to his face.  
"I would like that, yeah. I wish I could show you my favorite spot- it's gone forever now, though..." He trailed off, a frown coming to his face as he moved to motion for RHF to lead the way out of the room. "Nothing that can be done about that, though- I wouldn't be able to show you anyways, even if it was still there." Remus paused, emotions flickering through his eye before he managed to hide them away once more, though a small, genuine smile remained on his face. "Huh. That's... interesting. I'm glad she likes my eyes- I was worried she'd be spooked by my cybernetics, honestly. Especially my eye- I imagine it's the most noticeable part for her, without touching me."  
RHF frowned in a sympathetic manner, his eyes softening. He didn't say anything regarding the matter- didn't know what to say- and just led the way towards the door, in which he opened for Reggie. His ears perked and he caught himself before he could jump back a few feet upon noticing Larisa's large head that poked through the door. The hybrid took a small step back, mainly out of minor surprise. "Larisa? Where did you come from, girl?" He asked, lifting his human hand to gently rub her muzzle. The Kirin snorted slightly in response to him but she didn't quite watch him. Her eyes were focused on Reggie. KR chuckled quietly, having to awkwardly clear his throat due to it. He shook his head and wrote in his notepad, allowing his pencil to dance along the paper. " _It's hard to spook her. She's hardly scared of anything! Actually, I don't think she fears anything. She's a brave girl._ " The king responded with a smile, having flipped the notepad around towards Remus so he could see it.  
Reggie let out a curse and stumbled back when the door opened, lifting a hand to press it over his heart with a laugh. "Holy shit- does she do that regularly?" He questioned, giving RHF a look that said he was more amused than anything- though still pretty surprised. "I'm glad she's brave. I was just concerned, you know? These cybernetics ain't natural, nor magic- I wasn't sure how she'd react. I'm glad she doesn't mind them." He nodded his head slightly as he spoke, resting his forearms on his knees and letting himself hunch over slightly, relaxing further around KR with that smile still present on his face.  
RHF couldn't help but laugh, only to quickly shush himself by lifting his paw to his mouth. He snorted slightly and nodded. "She does! She roams around the place. She likes to pop in and say hello. Still startles me each time." He admitted in amusement, continuing to pet Larisa's muzzle. "Hope she didn't scare you too bad." KR nodded slightly in response. He tapped the ground in thought before reaching for his notepad. He scribbled something in it and then moved it closer to Remus, his smile brightening. " _Larisa honestly admires you, or so she's told me. She finds you strong and brave, and in your eyes she can tell you're a lovable person. In all honesty, I agree with her. I can't wait to get to know you more. You seem wonderful._ "  
"She didn't scare me too bad." Reggie assured with a dip of his head, though he noticeably hung back and eyed Larisa with uncertainty clear in his eyes. "I'm just surprised neither of us heard her coming, really. Sneaky, for such a uh... large... hooved creature..." He trailed off, fiddling with his sleeves and hunching his shoulders slightly. The cyborg let out an amused snort, grinning momentarily before letting his expression fall back into one of faint happiness. "Thank you. I'll tell her thank you when I see her again as well- it really does mean a lot. Good to know I'm lovable- probably in the same way a grumpy, bitey animal is, but still." "I probably should've heard her but I was a little distracted." RHF chuckled slightly, continuing to stroke Larisa's muzzle delicately. He glanced back towards Reggie, soft concern flickering into his gaze. He moved away from the large Kirin and offered his paw to Reggie if he needed it. "Are you alright, Reggie? Are... you still afraid of her?" He quietly asked, seeming to hunch over slightly to be more at his level. He looked into Reggie's eyes, sheer affection and softness held within his optics. KR giggled towards Remus' words and shook his head. He stared down at his hands briefly and then nudged his notepad away. He began to finger-spell for Remus, concentrating on going slow enough that Remus could easily decipher it while not going too slow. ' _Y-O-U L-O-V-A-B-L-E T-O M-E_ ' KR signed genuinely, seeming proud of himself. He truly meant those words, it seemed, and wanted to repeatedly make it known.  
"A... A little bit, yeah. Mostly just nervous with her, now. I'm alright, just... That's a very large horn, on a very large creature, who has magic. Can't help but be nervous, heh." Reggie gave a little shrug and an apologetic smile, glancing between RHF and Larisa. There was a long pause before a wide smile broke out across Remus' face and he shifted closer to KR, lifting his hands to sign. He gestured to the king before finger-spelling a singular word- ' _A-R-E_ '. He then copied the sign for charming, needing a few attempts to get it right. His smile grew larger and warmer when he finally got the sign right, looking to KR both for approval and to see his reaction to the signed phrase.  
RHF nodded in quiet understanding, gently holding Reggie's hand with his paw. He cupped his hand with RHF's normal hand. "I'm right here with you, alright? She won't try anything. In fact, she's purposely staying a distance away." The hybrid said, attempting to calm Reggie's nerves. He offered a small, charming smile on top of that. KR perked towards what Remus signed, his face brightening. He was very clearly stunned before nodding quickly in approval and gratefulness. He wiped at his eye for a brief moment to rid them of surprised, albeit happy, tears. All of a sudden, he shifted and suddenly threw his arms around the cyborg. From the surprising force alone, he toppled them both over onto the grass and KR was chuckling, burying his face into the fabric of Remus' shirt. He emitted an excited, happy squeak that was barely audible.  
Reggie visibly relaxed, meeting RHF's gaze and drawing in a deep breath. He lingered there for a few moments longer before straightening his back and squaring his shoulders, once more drawing up his former confidence. Once he had done so, he gently pulled away from the hybrid and slowly approached Larisa. His hands shook and his confidence faltered, but he forced himself to keep going until he was close enough to reach out a shaking hand and press his palm against the flat portion of the Kirin's nose. He held his breath, tense and trembling- fully anticipating pain in response to the touch. Remus yelped when he was suddenly hugged, tensing up at first as if his instinct was screaming 'danger' in response. However, he was quick to relax once more, laughing and gently wrapping his arms around the king. "Careful, don't want you getting hurt. I have lots of sharp edges." He joked, finding a warm, fluttering feeling filling him at the sight and feeling of KR holding onto him- though he shrugged it off as merely some sort of magic effect. KR would likely be able to feel the difference between the organic matter of the cyborg's chest and the metal of his cybernetics, the seam able to be felt as clear as day.  
RHF perked towards Reggie, seeming completely dumbfounded. His pupils dilated as he watched the shorter man, ignoring the fluttering in his chest. He could hardly contain his wagging tail. Larisa blinked towards Reggie and remained incredibly still. She closed her eyes and nudged her muzzle against Reggie's palm in a soft, gentle manner. She kept her eyes closed, trusting Reggie completely. KR giggled and just kept hugging him. He hardly minded the cybernetics he could feel through the shirt, instead relaxing in the embrace. He closed his eyes for a moment, welcoming the warmth that flooded through him. His muscles rippled beneath his clothing as he shifted- they could probably be somewhat felt due to the position. "Sha..rp edges.. for.... sh..arp ma..n." KR managed to whisper aloud, not wanting to take his arms away to sign or write. He coughed from speaking but flashed a semi-smug, entertained and affectionate grin.  
Reggie slowly relaxed, letting out a small, nervous laugh as he gently rubbed the Kirin's muzzle. "You're... not so bad. I'm sorry for acting that way. Hopefully we can still get along well." A snort of amusement escaped Remus and he beamed at KR, completely relaxed and calm- practically radiating happiness, to boot. "Yep. Just don't get yourself hurt on them- I'm sure RHF would not be very happy with me if you got hurt at all, much less if I was the thing that hurt you." As he spoke, he found himself gently rubbing the tips of his fingers up and down the king's back- though he didn't stop the movement at all.  
Larisa snorted slightly in response to Reggie's words. She swished her tail slightly and opened her golden eyes towards the man. " **It is alright, little human. I do not blame you for being scared.** " She glanced towards RHF as the hybrid stalked closer, oblivious to the telepathy Larisa had used. KR snuggled his face further against Remus' chest. He sighed in contentment towards the gentle touches, easily relaxing from them. He almost seemed to close his eyes in longing. After a few moments, he shifted in the slightest so he could pull out another notepad. He rested the notepad against Remus' chest so he could comfortably write on it. Once he finished, he lifted it up for the cyborg. " _I hope you don't mind this. I can get off if you're uncomfortable. I just want to make sure I'm not bothering you._ " He explained, still snuggled against him.  
"Holy shit!" Reggie all but screamed, stumbling back slightly and reaching a hand to touch his head as if startled by the sudden words spoken there. There was a few moments' pause before he relaxed slightly and let out a somewhat nervous laugh, slowly moving back to where he had been- hand on the Kirin's muzzle and all. "Sorry, that... scared me. I assume that means you can use telepathy as well...?" Remus nodded once he had read the words, chuckling quietly to himself. "It's alright, I don't mind it. I'm not uncomfortable- this is... oddly nice, in fact." He fell quiet, looking down at KR with a soft expression on his face- though the emotions showing in his eye were unreadable.  
Larisa almost seemed to watch Reggie in amusement. And, if a Kirin could smirk in that same playful amusement, she no doubt would at this very moment. She swished her tail and it took a lengthy moment before she responded, a small sparkle flickering to life at the tip of her horn to use telepathy. " **I can. I apologize for scaring you, little human. Reggie, was it?** " RHF almost seemed to laugh a bit, snorting in the process. He lifted his paw to muffle his laugh with the fur and even grinned at Reggie. "There she goes with her telepathy! When I first heard it, damn was it shocking. Caught me so fuckin' off-guard." KR seemed to smile at that and lifted a single hand so he could finger-spell without having to shift to write on his notepad. ' _N-I-C-E._ ' He agreed and lowered his hand. Slowly, he rested his arm against Remus' side and tenderly brushed his fingers against his organic side, almost subconsciously. He kept the side of his head rested comfortably against the cyborg's chest with his non-moving hand resting there as well. He seemed familiar with this position and completely comfortable, even as he glanced up at Remus' face with his deep brown eyes. He stared for maybe a bit too long before glancing away in the slightest, instead focusing on a nearby flower as if it was the most magnificent thing in the world.  
"Yes, Reggie's my name. Well, what I'm going by now, at least." He gave a somewhat nervous chuckle, gently stroking Larisa's muzzle whilst glancing over at RHF. "It's not... too bad. Just startled me- it is weird, though, having a voice that isn't my own in my head." He fell silent after speaking, his eyes meeting the Kirin's and staying there. Remus found himself relaxing even further under KR's touch, letting his eye close and his head rest back. A soft hum gradually built up in his throat, the sound having a harsh edge to it due to his cybernetics. He hadn't realized that he had begun gently running his fingertips over a section of the king's back until he was already doing it, though he made no attempt to stop the gentle motion.  
"It sure is." RHF agreed and stalked closer, lifting his human hand to gently pat Larisa's side. "C'mon you two. I still have somethin' to show Reggie while there's still a bit of daylight!" And at that, the hybrid moved past the Kirin and shorter man. Larisa met Reggie's gaze for a long moment until she, too, stepped back. Her hooves were quiet against the smooth ground below her. It was almost ghostly with how silent she was as she backed away. She peered over towards RHF while the hybrid was waiting for Reggie. KR was quiet for a long time, relishing in the gentle movements of Remus' hand rubbing his back. He cleared his throat slightly- a habit he adopted due to his inability to properly speak. He kept closing his eyes for a while and then opening them, seemingly fighting the drowsiness that tried to overtake him. He continued to tenderly rub Remus' organic side for a little while until he pulled his hand away for just a moment. He reached over towards the flower he had been staring at, managing to pick it since it was close enough. KR, almost instantly, tucked the small white flower behind Remus' ear along his organic side. He offered a warm smile as he made sure the flower didn't fall out.  
A shred of confidence showed itself as Reggie stepped out of the room, closing the door gently behind him and giving the duo before him a smile- one that was genuine, if not as large as he would like. "Where to now?" He questioned, keeping his eyes on RHF as he moved to gently place a hand on the Kirin's side, as if wanting to prove to himself that he was safe touching her. The cyborg opened his eye and peered down at KR when he felt the hand tucking the flower behind his ear, a warm, fluttering feeling filling his chest as he took in the sight- though he was quick to ignore it and chuckle. "Once Reggie gets back, I'll get him to braid it into my hair." He commented quietly, his voice as soft as he could make it with the harsh edge his cybernetics gave it. "It'll stay longer, that way."  
"Up to the top of the castle! There's a balcony up there with the greatest view." RHF responded with the warmest smile he could muster. His tail began to wag behind him to showcase his excitement. Realizing his tail was wagging, he forced it to come to a halt and he glanced away, his face a light sheen of red out of embarrassment. "The.. sunset is also really nice. I enjoy sunsets... a lot." He guided Reggie to the spiral staircase that was down the hall and he waited at its base for the shorter man. Larisa slowly walked beside Reggie, her head lowered as if to seem smaller than she actually was at full height. Her tail swished behind her and she occasionally glanced towards Reggie, not really saying too much. She wasn't a talker by any means. She was more of an observer. KR perked towards Remus, his eyes brightening towards him rather suddenly. He shifted a bit so that he could position his notepad on Remus' chest, enough for him to use his pencil to write on the page. " _I can braid hair! I could braid yours, if you want. If you'll let me, of course. I understand if you don't want me to do so._ "  
Reggie's smile grew out of excitement and he hurried to be at RHF's side, standing a little straighter than before. "I love sunsets too! Sunsets and the night sky- both are beautiful. The view from the station was the best anyone could have ever asked for- we were in the sky, among the stars, and it was breathtaking- a different view every day, hell, even every hour!" Uncertainty filled Remus at the thought but, after a few very long moments of hesitation, he gave a small nod. "That sounds like a good plan. I don't mind, so long as you don't yank too much." He chuckled good-naturedly, motioning gently for KR to sit up so that he could do the same.  
RHF began to wag his tail again when Reggie agreed with him. "I feel so free up there, on the balcony. I can see everything and it's lovely. You can smell the ocean, too. Just the faint whiff of salt." He paused for a moment and then shrugged as he began to make his way up the spiral staircase. "Well, I can anyway. Great sense of smell, after all." He glanced back at Larisa as the Kirin slowly walked up the stairs as well. Despite being used to doing this, she had to be careful due to her sheer size. RHF continued to talk, relaxing rather easily around Reggie. "I don't have many people to watch the sunset with so it's always nice to have someone new who won't belittle me for my interests." KR shifted a bit and pulled away from Remus, situating himself beside the cyborg. He held his notepad and pencil and began to scribble words into it. " _Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable._ "  
Reggie allowed himself to relax as well, walking at RHF's side and letting his gaze wander slightly. "You have a very good sense of smell, yeah- I probably wouldn't be able to smell it, especially if it's faint for you." His tone was light-hearted as he trained his gaze straight ahead, finding himself reaching to gently grasp onto one of the hybrid's arms- for balance and nothing more, he told himself. Remus sat up, watching KR almost as if inspecting him. After a few long moments, he hummed and shrugged, raising an eyebrow. "Don't see why not. Not like anyone unwanted will show up- it's just you and me, and the only people who would see would be Reggie and RHF." There was a pause before he added to his statement in a considerably quieter voice. "I trust you, KR."  
RHF perked his ears towards Reggie and offered a small but genuine smile, a small fang of his poking out from his upper lip and over his lower lip. He allowed Reggie to hold onto his arm and just gazed ahead. "Maybe I can take you out to the ocean one day. It's very lovely." He offered, continuing to guide Reggie up the stairs. "I got slapped by a fish once, though. KR laughed his ass off." KR seemed a bit baffled by that but his expression brightened. He grinned and snatched his notepad to write words in it quickly. He flipped it around- a huge, beaming smile crossing his features. " _I trust you too, Remus! I'm glad you trust me. I was afraid I would make you nervous for whatever reason._ " He admitted with a quiet, breathy chuckle. He scooted closer to the cyborg, his eyes softened but filled with quiet admiration towards Remus.  
"I would love that. If Remus and I have to be trapped here, we might as well see the sights." Reggie paused for a few heartbeats before shifting closer to RHF, smiling up at him. "I'm glad that it's you three and KR that we're trapped here with. If we're trapped, of course. I could get used to a life here with you all." The cyborg leaned his elbows on his knees, letting his back curve and his shoulders hunch as he watched KR, his smile falling into a more neutral expression- although happiness did stay in his expressive eye. "Nah, you don't make me nervous- well, not excessively so. Nervous at a normal level. Even Reggie makes me nervous to a degree."  
RHF's dual-colored eyes softened towards Reggie and he shifted so that he could wrap an arm around the shorter man, again avoiding his arms. He didn't need to know why Remus had avoided Reggie's arms but all he knew was that he should do the same, just in case it was something Reggie didn't want him knowing. "I enjoy being here with you two. It's.. nice, to say the least. Well, minus the 'trapped' bit. It's much more lively. It's also nice to have other people to talk to." He said with a smile, leading Reggie and the quiet Larisa up the stairs until they reached the top. It was another hallway, considerably shorter than the one below, but RHF began to guide the shorter man towards the double doors that presumably led outside. " _Normal level?_ " KR asked by writing in his notepad. He shifted even closer to Remus to braid his hair but hesitated slightly, waiting for permission from Remus. Even if the cyborg said it was alright, he still wanted to make sure.  
Reggie found himself leaning into RHF, letting his shoulders relax as he was led towards the double doors. "It's good to have allies again. Especially allies we don't have to hide from- we've already told you the kind of people we are. Were. The kind of people we were. I don't want to go back to that life- and here, I won't have to." "Mmhmm. Slightly nervous, but not in a way that makes logical sense- like right now, my gut's telling be to be careful of you trying to snap my neck or something, even though that'd be damn near impossible, not to mention that you wouldn't. You can go ahead, by the way." Remus turned his head to the side to give KR better access to his hair, his voice and posture both staying relaxed.  
RHF quietly wagged his tail and stared down at Reggie, hardly noticing how his pupils dilated. He leaned forward towards him but stopped midway, quickly straightening to not make a fool of himself. He glanced away, his face a deep shade of red as his ears flattened back. He swallowed roughly at the realization he had nearly leaned down to _kiss_ the top of Reggie's head out of instinct. Reggie wasn't KR and he knew this. Besides, Reggie was already taken and RHF himself was married. He was supposed to be loyal, not have these thoughts about another man. Quietly, RHF glanced away, his eyes distant and seemed to hold shame within them. Larisa stared at Reggie and RHF with piqued interest, her golden eyes shining dimly in the lowlight of the lanterns that lit up the halls. She tilted her head slightly, clearly curious. KR nodded towards Remus and smiled warmly to him. " _I would never want to hurt you, Remus! I care about you._ " He had written rather sloppily due to how fast he had written the words. At least it was still legible. He carefully took a small bundle of hair strands into his hands, tenderly running his hands through the hair with the utmost delicacy. He began to braid the small sample of hair, twirling the hair and intertwining them with ease and fluidity.  
Reggie didn't quite notice RHF's dilemma, quietly humming to himself as his thoughts wandered- though the topic stayed on the hybrid he was pressed lightly against. He shifted an arm to wrap it around the taller man, only to hesitate and eventually lower it back to his side, a frown on his face as he looked away. He scolded himself for being so openly affectionate with someone so soon, much less when Remus wasn't around to approve. The cyborg noticeably tensed at first, drawing in a deep breath and holding it for a few moments. As he released the breath, he relaxed once more, reaching his left hand to gently fiddle with the fingers on his right one- gently bending and straightening the mechanical digits. He pressed his thumb at an angle repeated, watching the area of his palm open and close- revealing and hiding the glistening red glass-like structure beneath it.  
RHF glanced towards Reggie, having somewhat noticed his dilemma. He knew better than to question it due to what the hybrid had almost done already, instead remaining silent up until the moment they reached the double doors. He pushed the doors open and perked towards the breeze that greeted him almost immediately. The balcony was quite fancy, with the handrails up front carved to perfection. Ahead of them, the vast kingdom stretched over the land. There were many houses, shops, parlors, with streetlights dotted around along the pristine cobblestone roads. The sky itself was a mixture of warm velvet and rosy-red, with gold from the sun that was inevitably lowering over the horizon, a beautiful hue casting over the land. RHF was staring at the sight with this big grin on his face as he gripped the handrails up front, his tail unable to stop its wagging. His eyes were bright and he seemed utterly relaxed, perfectly in his comfort environment. KR glanced towards Remus with faint worry but he then carefully held the half-braided strands in one hand. With his other now-free hand, he took ahold of his notepad and pulled it over to write on it awkwardly with that one hand. " _I used to have long hair. I braided it almost all the time so I learned from that._ " He said, flashing a small smile. He took the flower from before and shifted slightly so that he could begin braiding the small accessory into the hair.  
A small gasp escaped Reggie as he slowly stepped to the railing, holding onto it and looking out over the kingdom. He seemed to hold his breath, pure awe shining in his expression- along with a growing amount of joy and a sort of wistful longing, as if the sight drew up bittersweet memories. He relished in the feeling of the breeze against his face, though he didn't dare to close his eyes to bask in the sensation- much more interested in the sight stretched out in front of him. Remus let out a small, understanding hum, making sure to stay still. "I hope you're good at this, then. I used to have long hair as well- only really braided it when I absolutely had to, though. It's always just... felt too girly." The cyborg didn't elaborate further, tensing his shoulders slightly as if half-expecting KR to start prying for information from him.  
RHF kept wagging his tail as he observed the sunset. He gripped the railings and, as always, observed if the railing was sturdy enough. Having decided that it was, he kicked off his huge boots that he had been wearing that had hidden his paws snugly- it wasn't the most comfortable wearing them but he had gotten used to them over the years. They were specifically designed for him, after all. He then pulled himself onto the railings and curled his claws around the edge, expertly balancing on it in a crouched position to stare at the sunset. The light reflected against his eyes, giving them a shiny look to them like they were stained glass. He seemed extremely happy; his tail hung over the back edge of the railings he balanced on and kept swishing side to side. His ears were pristinely perked towards the breeze that blew against his face and ruffled his fur comfortably. He didn't say a word, merely basking in the warmth of the dying light and the relaxing atmosphere. Larisa stepped beside RHF and lifted her large head over the railing beside the hybrid. She snorted slightly and stared at the sunset. Just like RHF, she seemed captivated by the beauty of nature. KR braided Remus' hair a bit more before holding it steady with one hand to grab his notepad with his other hand. He quietly wrote on its page a bit awkwardly given the fact he didn't have both hands available, albeit he managed due to experience. He pushed it closer to Remus and smiled, continuing to braid the cyborg's hair. " _I never thought it was too girly. I found it quite magnificent, if I'm to be honest! You with braided hair is very appealing. I understand your point, though!_ " There was a tiny doodle of a heart after his message.  
Reggie's gaze slowly trailed from the sunset to the hybrid, a bit of worry flaring in him at the sight of the other’s position- though it was quickly washed away by a tidal wave of adoration, the emotion shining clearly in his hazel eyes. He swallowed heavily, making no attempt to hide the emotions he was unaware of being so clear- his cheeks heating up in a light blush that was noticeable in the dying light of the sun.  
A small grunt-like noise escaped Remus in the place of a nod, his thoughts wandering for a few long moments before he began speaking. “I’m glad you think so. It’s... not as girly  
as I thought. I’m sure you looked very nice with a braid.”  
RHF continued to wag his tail towards the sunset until he turned to face Reggie, keeping perfectly balanced on the railing. He had a big grin plastered to his face as his ponytail swayed slightly whenever there was a breeze. His smile grew slightly smaller as he observed Reggie's expression, concern washing over him. He stood to his full height, easily balancing on the railing as he scooted closer to Reggie. Crouching down along the railing beside him, RHF tilted his head towards Reggie. "Are you alright?" He asked, taking notice of the heat that flushed over Reggie's expression. His own pupils dilated slightly in the dying light. "Are you ill?" "I like to think I did. Speaking of looking nice, you look lovely with a braid." KR wrote, having finished intertwining the hair strands expertly into a beautiful braid. The flower had been intertwined into the braid as well, keeping it steady as the king moved away to be more beside Remus.  
Reggie found himself gawking at RHF, eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly as he stared up at the hybrid’s face. He swallowed heavily before managing to get out a response, stumbling over his words slightly. “I’m, uh, I’m fine. I feel fine. Great, actually.” He managed to get out, giving a genuine smile- though it did hold a twinge of nerves.  
“Thank you.” Remus murmured after a few moments of staring at KR, reaching to feel the braid his hair had been twisted into while looking off to the right to hide the slight heating-up of his right cheek.__


End file.
